Electroformation of giant liposomes from spin-coated films of lipids.
This paper describes spin-coating of solutions of lipids and using the resulting thin films for electroformation of giant liposomes. Spin-coating made it possible to generate uniform films of lipids with controllable thickness over large surfaces (>25 cm(2)) of indium tin oxide. Establishing a range of thicknesses optimal for electroformation (25-50 nm), we demonstrate formation of giant liposomes from lipids (such as asolectin, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylglycerol) that do not readily form giant liposomes from traditional, droplet-derived films. We compared liposomes from a spin-coated film of lipids to liposomes formed from traditional droplet-derived films and found that spin-coated films produced larger (by factor of 2-5) and more abundant liposomes than droplet-derived films of lipids. Electroformation from spin-coated, homogenous lipid films of optimal thickness provided a reproducible way to obtain liposomes with diameters that are predominantly larger than 30 microm over the entire surface of formation.
Estes
Daniel J
DJ
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Mayer
Michael
M
D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D004563:Electrochemistry; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols / Q000737:chemistry; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000737:chemistry; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D017971:Tin Compounds / Q000737:chemistry
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008055:Lipids; D008081:Liposomes; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D010743:Phospholipids; D017971:Tin Compounds; C024990:asolectin; C109984:indium tin oxide