Short-term plasticity characterization in droplet interface bilayers is impacted by the oil environment*

Devices that demonstrate resistance, capacitance, or inductance capabilities depending on their past electrical activity are known as memory elements. Memory elements can be observed in lipid bilayers through different experimental techniques wherein voltage is applied across the lipid bilayer, and current response is measured. The result of previous experimentation demonstrates that lipid bilayers store energy in a similar fashion to a capacitor as they maintain current for a period after voltage stimulation ends. The Droplet Interface Bilayer (DIB) technique is used to isolate and investigate variations in the synthetic membrane's environment. Here we use the DIB technique to determine the oil composition that most greatly enhances bilayer thickness and fluidity, resulting in improved gramicidin facilitated ion transport. Improved efficiency of ion channels results in a membrane that requires lower energy to exhibit evidence of short-term potentiation and more closely imitates the lipid bilayers associated with biology and neuroscience. DIB experiments will aid in the development of a thorough understanding of the capacitive and other various electrical properties of lipid bilayers and how variations in the molecular environment change those properties.