Bilayer vesicles and liposomes as interface agents

Abstract

Vesicles as interface agents flocculate or stabilize particulates, bacteria or mammalian cells. Synthetic cationic vesicles are antimicrobial agents killing bacteria and fungi at concentrations that barely affect cultured mammalian cells. Silica or latex become functional from coverage with bilayer-forming amphiphiles or phospholipids. Lipid self-assembly on particles allows receptor insertion and amplification of receptor–ligand recognition, e.g., model pair monosialoganglioside GM1 and its ligand, the cholera toxin. Utility of self-assembled vesicles, bilayers or monolayers at interfaces is limited only by our own imagination.