Planar bilayer conductance and fluorescence studies confirm the function and location of a synthetic, sodium-ion-conducting channel in a phospholipid bilayer membrane

Two novel, synthetic, cation-conducting channel compounds that incorporate fluorescent probes was investigated to provide proper assessment of a model channel's position within a phospholipid bilayer. Results of the investigation indicate that the channel headgroup in located in an environment intermediate in polarity between methanol and ethanol. Furthermore, fluorescence energy transfer is monomeric.