Interaction of Liposomes with Detergents

Abstract

Interactions of liposomes with detergents and physicochemical properties of liposomes were reviewed. Several amphiphiles that produce liposomes by themselves or form liposomes only by mixing two amphiphiles are initially discussed and then solubilization of liposomes by detergents, formation of liposomes from mixed micelles on removal of the detergents, mechanism of micelle-vesicle transition, and method for regulating vesicular size are considered in regard to the micelle-vesicle transition mechanism. ESR spectroscopy, hyperfine splitting of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl dissolved in octylglucoside-containing vesicles and order parameters of 5-doxylstearic acid incorporated in vesicles, was useful for obtaining the properties of detergent-containing liposomes. 1H NMR spectra of the choline N-methyl group in internal and external monolayers of phosphatidylethanolamine/lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) vesicles indicated LPC to possibly prefer external monolayers of lipid and the presence of internal monolayers to be essential for vesicle stabilization.