Electronic Information Network learned that modern communication equipment relies on electric field and current for information transmission, while biological systems are much more complex. They control signal transduction through membrane receptors, various biological channels and biological pumps, which even the most powerful computer can't match. For example, converting sound waves into nerve pulses is a very complicated process, but human ears can easily do this. Therefore, scientists have been trying to effectively integrate microelectronics with biological systems, but they always fall short of seamless connection. The emergence of smaller nanomaterials, as small as biomolecules, has made this seamless integration possible.
In order to create a bio-nano-electronic platform, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the United States turned their attention to lipid membranes ubiquitous in biological cells. This thin film forms a stable, self-healing barrier that is almost indestructible for ions and small molecules. Lipid membranes can accommodate multiple proteins, allowing them to perform recognition, transport, and signal transduction functions in cells. Researchers wrapped nanowires with continuous lipid bilayers, forming a protective barrier on the outer layer of nanowires, thereby achieving effective integration of lipid membranes with silicon nanowire transistors. This "shielded" nanowire structure makes membrane pores the only path for ions to reach the nanowire, and the membrane pores automatically open and close with changes in the gate voltage of the nanodevice. Using this nanodevice, researchers can monitor the transmission of specific information and also use it to control membrane proteins.
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