Stabilization of small unilamellar liposomes: polymerization of surfactants in phospholipid vesicles
Abstract
Cosonication of a styrene-containing surfactant H2CCHC6H4NHCO[CH2]10N+(C16H33)Me2Br–(1) with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) leads to mixed DPPC–(1) 300 Å diameter unilamellar vesicles which subsequent to photopolymerization maintain their morphologies for months; conversely, nonpolymerized vesicles undergo spontaneous growth to 700 Å diameter vesicles.