Lipid Membrane Models for Biomembrane Properties’ Investigation

The lipid bilayer membrane is one of the most important self-assembled structures in nature. It is not only a boundary between extracellular medium and cellular components, but also regulates the transport and signaling across the barrier. This chapter focuses on various membrane systems established as biomimetic structures including liposomes, micelles, bicelles, Langmuir monolayers, phospholipid bilayers nanodiscs, black lipid membranes (BLM), supported lipid bilayers (SLB), tethered bilayer lipid membranes (tBLM), polymer-cushioned membranes, protein-tethered bilayer lipid membranes (ptBLM) and hybrid bilayers, and their potential applications in pharmaceutics and biotechnology. Model membrane systems are used for investigating various membrane-related phenomena such as lipid dynamics, membrane protein function, and molecular interactions between lipids, proteins, or small molecules.