title: AFM phase imaging of soft-hydrated samples: a versatile tool to complete the chemical-physical study of liposomes.
abstract: Despite of the several approaches applied to the physicochemical characterization of liposomes, few techniques are really useful to obtain information about the surface properties of these colloidal drug-delivery systems. In this paper, we demonstrate a possible new application of tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) to discriminate between conventional and pegylated liposomes. We showed that the differences on liposomal surface properties revealed by the phase images AFM approach well correlate with the data obtained using classical methods, such as light scattering, hydrodynamic, and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ruozi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tosi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonelli
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bondioli
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mucci
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forni
authors.forename: Maria Angela
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vandelli
mesh_terms: D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D008081:Liposomes; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols