# The Effect of Xenon on the Voltage‒Current Characteristics of Tethered Lipid Bilayers

## TL;DR

This study shows that xenon affects the electrical properties of tethered lipid bilayers by increasing activation energy and reducing pore size.

## Contribution

The study reveals xenon's impact on the activation energy and pore size in lipid bilayers, linking it to its anesthetic properties.

## Key findings

- Xenon increases the activation energy for electrical conduction through bilayers.
- Xenon decreases the average pore size that dominates low-voltage conductance in lipid bilayers.
- Xenon's high affinity for lipid membranes may explain its anesthetic effects on membrane proteins.

## Abstract

In this study, we describe the effect of the noble gas, xenon on the electrical properties of tethered lipid bilayer membranes, (tBLMs), including the effect of xenon on the activation energy for electrical conduction through the tBLM. Such studies benefit from the stability of a tethered membrane given the wide range of temperatures that are scanned and the time required for these measurements. The results indicate that xenon increases the activation energy for electrical conduction through bilayers and decreases the average pore size that dominates the electrical conductance of the lipid bilayers at low voltages. Xenon possesses a high affinity for lipid membranes and is a potent general anaesthetic. Its anaesthetic potency is possibly associated with its effects on proteins embedded in the lipid membranes.