Rapid reconstitution of a transmembrane protein into supported planar lipid membranes.

A procedure for reconstituting a transmembrane protein by the freeze-thaw method into supported planar lipid layers has been developed. A solution containing human glycophorin A was introduced between an alkylated cover glass with lipid layers from soybean phospholipids and a bare glass slide, and was then put in a glass dish which was frozen outside by liquid nitrogen. The lipid layer membranes prepared in this manner have been examined by the binding of both macrophages and wheat germ agglutinin agarose. Macrophages bound more efficiently to the membranes bearing glycophorin A and spread more rapidly than those of the control membranes.