Biophysical Journal 10: 728-744 (1970)
© 1970 the Biophysical Society

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Studies of Electric Capacitance of Membranes

I. A Model Membrane Composed of a Filter Paper and a Lipid Analogue

ABSTRACT

A hydrophobic filter paper of a given pore size containing a synthetic lipid, i.e. dioleyl phosphate, was interposed between aqueous electrolyte solutions having the same chemical composition and temperature. The electric capacitance and conductance of the membrane immersed in various concentrations of KCl were measured in the frequency range from 20 to 3 x 10⁶ cycle/sec. The observed capacitance and conductance were found to be strongly dependent on the applied frequency. A theory is proposed to account for this dispersion of impedance observed in the present membrane-electrolyte system. The dispersion is attributed to the formation of bilayer membranes of the lipid inside the filter paper. The effects of the salt concentration, the adsorbed quantity of the lipid, and the pore size of the filter paper on the capacitance and conductance of the membrane are discussed in terms of the distribution function of bilayers formed within the filter paper.