Patent ID: 8062489

Claim:
A method for forming an artificial lipid membrane, comprising the steps of: (A) preparing an artificial lipid membrane forming apparatus comprising a first chamber, a second chamber, a dividing wall sandwiched between the first chamber and the second chamber, and an artificial lipid membrane forming portion consisting of a through hole formed on the dividing wall, the first chamber having a capacity of not smaller than 10 pl and not larger than 200 μl, the second chamber having a capacity of not smaller than 10 pl and not larger than 200 μl; (B) adding to the first chamber a first electrolytic solution having a viscosity of not lower than 1.3 mPa·s and not higher than 200 mPa·s; (C) adding to the artificial lipid membrane forming portion a lipid solution containing a lipid and an organic solvent; (D) adding to the second chamber a second electrolytic solution having a viscosity of not lower than 1.3 mPa·s and not higher than 200 mPa·s to sandwich the lipid solution between the first electrolytic solution and the second electrolytic solution; and (E) removing the organic solvent to form an artificial lipid membrane at the artificial lipid membrane forming portion.