Electroformation of giant vesicles from an inverse phase precursor.
We discuss a simple modification of the well-known method of giant vesicle electroformation that allows for a direct addition of water-soluble species to the phospholipid bilayers. Using this modified method, we prepare phospholipid vesicles decorated with chitosan, a water-soluble polysaccharide currently investigated for potential pharmacological applications. We find that the method allows this polysaccharide with primary amino groups on every glucose subunit to be tightly bound to the membrane, rather than simply being encapsulated.
Institut Charles Sadron, UPR22, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France. omar@iq.ufrgs.br
Omar
O
Mertins
Nádya P
NP
da Silveira
Adriana R
AR
Pohlmann
André P
AP
Schröder
Carlos M
CM
Marques
D002138:Calibration; D048271:Chitosan / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D010743:Phospholipids; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes; D048271:Chitosan