Stable integration of isolated cell membrane patches in a nanomachined aperture: a step towards a novel device for membrane physiology

We investigate the microscopic contact of a cell/semiconductor hybrid. The semiconductor is nanostructured with the aim of single channel recording of ion channels in cell membranes. This approach will overcome many limitations of the classical patch-clamp technique. The integration of silicon-based devices 'on-chip' promises novel types of experiments on single ion channels.