Liposomes: From membrane models to gene therapy

Abstract

Liposomes, which are self-closed vesicular structures composed of (phospho)lipid bilayers, have attracted considerable interest since their discovery in the 60's. Because of their organization and the versatility of their physicochemical properties these vesicles have been extensively studied as models for biological membranes. Since liposomes can sequester bioactive molecules, they are also widely used as drug delivery systems. The present report focuses on the renewed interest in the field with the advent of "sterically stabilized" (Stealth®) liposomes which, compared to "conventional" liposomes, have much longer circulation times in vivo, and on the use of cationic liposomes in non-viral gene delivery strategies. Liposomes are also very promising antigen carriers that can be used to design peptide-based synthetic vaccines.