Enzymatically\nPolymerized Organic Conductors on Native\nLipid Membranes

The dual capability of conductive polymers to conduct\nions and\nelectrons, in combination with their flexible mechanical properties,\nmakes them ideal for bioelectronic applications. This study explores\nthe <i>in situ</i> enzymatic polymerization of water-soluble\nπ-conjugated monomers on native lipid bilayers derived from\nthe F11 cell line, mimicking mammalian neural membranes. Enzymatic\npolymerization was catalyzed using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in\nthe presence of oxidant hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) and monitored via electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with\ndissipation (EQCM-D) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).\nResults showed polymerization with HRP. The structural properties\nof the formed polymer films were characterized <i>ex situ</i> using atomic force microscopy (AFM), while the quality of the F11\nnative lipid vesicles and bilayer was respectively assessed through\ndynamic light scattering (DLS) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching\n(FRAP) techniques. This work demonstrates, for the first time, the\nfeasibility of the <i>in situ</i> formation of conductive\npolymers on native lipid membranes, offering a promising approach\nfor the development of minimally invasive neural electrodes to diagnose\nand treat neurological disorders.