Patterned domains of supported phospholipid bilayer using microcontact printing of Pll-g-PEG molecules

In this work, we propose a reliable microcontact printing (μCP) process for generating Patterned Supported Phospholipids Bilayer (P-SPB) confined by Poly-l-(lysine)-grafted-polyethylene(glycol) (Pll-g-PEG) molecular barriers. The efficiency of Pll-g-PEG for inhibiting the fusion process of incubated liposome was first analyzed by Quartz Micro Balance (QCM) measurements. The quality and stability of Pll-g-PEG patterns were then both verified by fluorescence microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in liquid media. The micro domains of P-SPB produced were stable in liquid environment during several weeks and also during AFM imaging. This exceptional stability is a clear improvement compared to previous studies involving proteins as confinement barriers.