Mechanoelectricity of Guest‐Host Membrane Systems: Lipid Bilayers Containing Ion Channels

Electricity and mechanics of biomembrane systems: Flexoelectricity in living membranes

Flexoelectricity provides a reciprocal relationship between electricity and mechanics in membranes, i.e., between membrane curvature and polarization. Experimental evidence of biomembrane flexoelectricity (including direct and converse flexoelectric effect) is reviewed. Biological implications of flexoelectricity in membrane transport, membrane contact, mechanosensitivity, electromotility and hearing are underlined. Flexoelectricity enables membrane structures to function like soft micro- and nano-machines, sensors and actuators, thus providing important input to molecular electronics applications.

Flexoelectricity of model and living membranes

The theory and experiments on model and biomembrane flexoelectricity are reviewed. Biological implications of flexoelectricity are underlined. Molecular machinery and molecular electronics applications are pointed out.