Membrane Dipole Potential: Modification Methods and Consequences for Ion Channels Incorporation in the Membrane

Electric fields in biological membranes play a fundamental role in the cellular processes. The membrane dipole potential is an interest because it determines the permeability for ions and other charged molecules and lipid–lipid and lipid–protein interactions. The membrane dipole potential is caused by the specific orientation of the electric dipoles of lipid molecules and adsorbed water molecules. As a result, the inner part of the membrane has a more positive electric potential by several hundred millivolts compared to the aqueous phase surrounding the membrane. This review presents a collection of data on the methods for estimation of the membrane dipole potential, analysis of the structural-functional relationships of dipole-modifying agents, and assessment of the role of the membrane dipole potential in the formation of ion channels by antimicrobial agents in lipid bilayers. The analysis revealed the mechanisms of dipole potential change under the action of membrane-active compounds and determined a number of dipole modifiers that can be effectively used in studying the effect of dipole potential on ion transport.