title: Encapsulation of hemoglobin in phospholipid vesicles.
abstract: Hemoglobin has been encapsulated in phospholipid vesicles by extrusion of hemoglobin/lipid mixtures through polycarbonate membranes. This technique avoids the use of organic solvents, sonication, and detergents which have proven deleterious to hemoglobin. The vesicles are homogeneous, with a mean size of 2400 A as determined by photon correlation spectroscopy. The encapsulated hemoglobin binds oxygen reversibly and the vesicles are impermeable to ionic compounds. Hemoglobin encapsulated in egg phosphatidylcholine vesicles converts to methemoglobin within 2 days at 4 degrees C. By contrast, when a mixture of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and dicetyl phosphate is used there is no acceleration in methemoglobin formation, and the preparation is stable for at least 14 days at 4 degrees C.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain; D002417:Cattle; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000378:metabolism; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010718:Phosphatidylserines
chemical_list: D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D006454:Hemoglobins; D008081:Liposomes; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010718:Phosphatidylserines