title: Observations of membrane fusion in a liposome dispersion: the missing fusion intermediate?
abstract: Early intermediate structures of liposome-liposome fusion events were captured by freeze-fracture electron microscopic (EM) technique. The images show the morphology of the fusion interface at several different stages of the fusion event. One of the intermediates was captured at a serendipitous stage of two vesicles' membranes (both leaflets) merging and their contents starting to intermix clearly showing the fusion interface with a previously unseen fusion rim. From the morphological information a hypothetical sequence of the fusion event and corresponding lipid structural arrangements are described.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foldvari
keywords: freeze-fracture; fusion intermediate; fusion mechanism; liposome; membrane fusion