Phospholipid bilayer formation on hydroxyapatite sol–gel synthesized films

Lipid bilayers supported by porous biomaterials are being explored as models for cell membranes. Hydroxyapatite is a relevant material currently being used extensively for biomedical applications. In this study, hydroxyapatite films produced via a sol–gel chemistry route have been characterized and explored as a scaffolding material for lipid membranes. The hydroxyapatite has been characterized using XRD, SEM, and AFM, followed by vesicle-fusion of lipids characterized by fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) to determine the diffusion coefficient of this system. The HA films produced in this work were found to produce slow lateral diffusion and, in the two-phase lipid systems, some domains were observed. The low lateral diffusion coefficients were believed to be a result of the large undulations present on the hydroxyapatite film surface.