title: Formation of monodisperse hierarchical lipid particles utilizing microfluidic droplets in a nonequilibrium state.
abstract: A new microfluidic process was used to generate unique micrometer-sized hierarchical lipid particles having spherical lipid-core and multilamellar-shell structures. The process includes three steps: (1) formation of monodisperse droplets in a nonequilibrium state at a microchannel confluence, using a phospholipid-containing water-soluble organic solvent as the dispersed phase and water as the continuous phase; (2) dissolution of the organic solvent of the droplet into the continuous phase and concentration of the lipid molecules; and (3) reconstitution of multilamellar lipid membranes and simultaneous formation of a lipid core. We demonstrated control of the lipid particle size by the process conditions and characterized the obtained particles by transmission electron microscopy and microbeam small-angle X-ray scattering analysis. In addition, we prepared various types of core-shell and core-core-shell particles incorporating hydrophobic/hydrophilic compounds, showing the applicability of the presented process to the production of drug-encapsulating lipid particles.
authors: Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University , 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Mizuno
authors: Taro
authors: T
authors: Toyota
authors: Miki
authors: M
authors: Konishi
authors: Yoshiyuki
authors: Y
authors: Kageyama
authors: Masumi
authors: M
authors: Yamada
authors: Minoru
authors: M
authors: Seki
mesh_terms: D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties