title: Changes in the morphology of cell-size liposomes in the presence of cholesterol: formation of neuron-like tubes and liposome networks.
abstract: Spontaneous changes in the morphology of cell-size liposomes (dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, DOPC and egg PC) as model cells were investigated in the presence of cholesterol. Tube structures and liposome networks connected by the tubes were observed in the presence of 5-30% cholesterol by dark-field and laser-scanning microscopy. Furthermore, in the presence of more than 40 mol% of cholesterol, the tubes disappeared and changed to small liposomes. Thus, cholesterol induced a morphological change in giant liposomes from tubes to small liposomes. These phenomena may be related to the role of cholesterol in the morphological changes in living cells such as neurons.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-3-10 Kanda-Surugadai, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan.
authors.forename: Shin-ichiro M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mizutani
authors.forename: Kimio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurita
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akiyoshi
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism; D014966:Xanthenes
chemical_list: D008081:Liposomes; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D014966:Xanthenes; C034657:Texas red; D002784:Cholesterol; C017251:1,2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine