title: Preparation of uniform rich cholesterol unilamellar nanovesicles using CO2-expanded solvents.
abstract: Nanoscopic and uniform unilamellar vesicles, rich in cholesterol, have been prepared by a new procedure, named "DELOS-SUSP", which is based on the depressurization of a cholesterol solution in CO2-expanded acetone into an aqueous solution containing a surfactant. The CO2 is used here as a cosolvent medium, allowing the straightforward preparation of vesicular systems with controlled size distribution, uniform shape, and stability unachievable by conventional mixing technologies. The resulting nanoscopic vesicular systems dispersed in water were characterized using dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, turbidity, and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The influence of operational parameters of this new methodology on the physicochemical characteristics of the vesicular systems is also reported.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC)-CIBER-BBN, Campus Universitario de Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallés, Spain.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cano-Sarabia
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ventosa
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Patiño
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arranz
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Veciana
mesh_terms: D000096:Acetone / Q000737:chemistry; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry*; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D012995:Solubility; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D012997:Solvents; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water; D000096:Acetone; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002784:Cholesterol