Supported lipid bilayer coatings: Fabrication, bioconjugation, and diagnostic applications

Supported lipid bilayer (SLB) coatings are versatile, cell-membrane-mimicking biointerfaces that are useful for fundamental biophysical studies and for various applications such as biosensors, diagnostics, and antifouling surfaces. However, until recently, SLB research was mainly limited to niche interfacial science research communities and ongoing material science advances have expanded the fabrication ease, scalability, and utility of SLB platforms for medical and biotechnology applications. Herein, we critically discuss ongoing progress in SLB fabrication, bioconjugation, and diagnostic applications, with particular focus on clinical-stage circulating tumor cell (CTC) detection for cancer diagnosis. A comprehensive overview of conventional and emerging SLB fabrication methods is provided along with different bioconjugation strategies to attach biomacromolecules such as proteins to SLB surfaces for molecular recognition purposes. We then examine how antibody-functionalized SLB platforms are being utilized for CTC detection and introduce clinical application examples. Future trends and application possibilities are also projected and demonstrate how SLB coatings are evolving into a robust surface functionalization option for endowing sensor surfaces with biomimetic functionalities.