# US 8,772,041 B2 · Membrane precursors and membranes formed therefrom > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,041 B2 - Document ID: US8772041B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/993,713 - Filed: 2009-05-22 - Published: 2011-05-19 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2008-05-22 - Assignees: The Regents of the University of California - Applicants: Jacob J. Schmidt; Tae-Joon Jeon; Jason L. Poulos - Inventors: Jacob J. Schmidt; Tae-Joon Jeon; Jason L. Poulos - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772041B2 ## CPC - C07F 9/10: Phosphatides, e.g. lecithin - B01L 3/5027: {by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip} - G01N 33/48707: {by electrical means (G01N33/49, G01N33/493 take precedence)} - G01N 33/5432: {Liposomes or microcapsules} - C07F: ACYCLIC, CARBOCYCLIC OR HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS CONTAINING ELEMENTS OTHER THAN CARBON, HYDROGEN, HALOGEN, OXYGEN, NITROGEN, SULFUR, SELENIUM OR TELLURIUM (metal-containing porphyrins C07D487/22) - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Disclosed are biomimetic membrane precursors and membranes formed therefrom. Also disclosed are methods of making biomimetic membrane precursors and membranes formed therefrom. Methods of using, including methods of storing and handling biomimetic membrane precursors and membranes formed therefrom, are also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) one or more microfluidic channels; and (c) a membrane precursor deposited within the one or more microfluidic channel, wherein the membrane precursor comprises one or more lipids and one or more lipid immobilizers, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers is in a solid or hydrogel form that immobilizes the one or more lipids, thereby preventing the formation of a functional bilayer membrane, and wherein the form of the one or more lipid immobilizers can be changed to a liquid form to reverse the immobilization of the one or more lipids, thereby allowing the formation of a functional bilayer membrane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises one or more of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, poly(meth)acrylate, polymethyl(meth)acrylate, polydivinylbenzene, fluorinated polydivinylbenzene, poly-N-vinylpyrrolidon, polyethylene terephthalate, cellulose acetate, polyamides, polyimide, polydimethylsiloxane, or polycarbonate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more lipids comprises an ionic lipid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers comprises one or more solvents with a melting point above about 4° C. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers comprises a hydrogel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers comprises a hydrogel that turns into liquid when exposed to light. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers comprises a liquid that turns into a hydrogel when exposed to light. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the membrane precursor further comprises a ligand, a protein, an antibody, a nucleic acid, or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a detection apparatus. ### Claim 10 A method of forming a membrane precursor, comprising: (a) providing a device for preparing freestanding membranes, comprising a substrate, one or more microfluidic channels, and a membrane precursor deposited within the one or more microfluidic channels, wherein the membrane precursor comprises one or more lipids and one or more lipid immobilizers, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers are in a liquid form; and (b) before the formation of a functional bilayer membrane, adjusting light, temperature, pH, pressure, or a mixture thereof to change the form of the one or more lipid immobilizers to a solid or hydrogel form that immobilizes the one or more lipids, thereby preventing the formation of a functional bilayer membrane. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: (c) adjusting light, temperature, pH, pressure or a mixture thereof to reverse the immobilization of the one or more lipids in step (b), wherein the one or more lipids forms a functional bilayer membrane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more lipids comprises an ionic lipid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more lipids is a polymeric surfactant, silicon surfactant, fluorinated surfactant, oligomeric surfactant, dimeric surfactant, or natural lipid, or mixture thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers comprises aminodextran, dextran, carboxymethyl dextran, DEAE-dextran, chondroitin sulfate, dermatan, dermatan sulfate, heparan, heparin, heparan sulfate, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, polyethyleneimine, polylysine, alginic acid, sodium alginate, pectin, gelatin, acid-hydrolytically-degraded gelatin, collagen, agarose, carrageenan, starch, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, polyacrylic acid, or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers comprises a PEG hydrogel with nitrobenzyl ether linker or PEG with coumarin chain ends. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers comprises a multi-vinyl PEG with vinyl chain ends or polyelectrolytes with cationic azobenzene surfactant. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers comprises a liquid that turns into a gel at temperatures above about 25° C. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers comprises a poly-N-isopropyl acrylamide or a copolymer thereof, or a block copolymer of polypropylene oxide and PEG. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more lipid immobilizers comprises a gel that turns into liquid at temperatures above about 4° C.