Two-component membrane lithography via lipid backfilling

A novel lithographic technique to pattern artificial lipid bilayer microdomains has been developed which exploits the limited mobility of gel-phase phospholipids. With this technique, fluid microdomains could be patterned into a solid gel-like matrix or gel-like lipids could be patterned in a sea of fluid lipids. In both cases, the patterned areas form a cohesive and contiguous supported lipid bilayer membrane (see picture).