Neuroscience

Receptor

Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

Membrane

Bioinformatics

Biology

Biophysics

Biological membrane

Membrane biology

Transmembrane protein

Chemistry

Synthetic biology

Materials science

Molecule

Lipid bilayer

Ion channel

Supramolecular chemistry

Cell biology

Membrane biophysics

Optogenetics

Biochemistry

Nature Reviews Chemistry

The membrane proteins found in nature control many important cellular functions, including signal transduction and transmembrane ion transport, and these, in turn, are regulated by external stimuli, such as small molecules, membrane potential and light. Membrane proteins also find technological applications in fields ranging from optogenetics to synthetic biology. Synthetic supramolecular analogues have emerged as a complementary method to engineer functional membranes. This Review describes stimuli-responsive supramolecular systems developed for the control of ion transport, signal transduction and catalysis in lipid-bilayer-membrane systems. Recent advances towards achieving spatio-temporal control over activity in artificial and living cells are highlighted. Current challenges, the scope, limitations and future potential to exploit supramolecular systems for engineering stimuli-responsive lipid-bilayer membranes are discussed. Stimuli-responsive supramolecular systems have emerged as tools for engineering functional lipid-bilayer membranes. This Review highlights their use in controlling binding, ion transport and signalling in membranes.

Engineering of stimuli-responsive lipid-bilayer membranes using supramolecular systems