Supported lipid bilayers as effective substrates for atomic force microscopy.

Supported lipid bilayers offer a diverse set of substrates for AFM investigations of both water-soluble samples and integral membrane proteins. Although their amphipathic nature is necessary for the latter specimens, it is their robustness and easily changed surface characteristics that make these surfaces particularly attractive for the former ones. When starting any AFM investigation of water-soluble biological complexes, it is probably best to try mica first, owing to its remarkable effectiveness with a wide range of samples. Yet, if mica should prove inadequate, supported lipid bilayers are, as demonstrated here, a sensible second choice.