Surface fractals in liposome aggregation

Area of Science:

• Colloid and surface science
• Biophysical chemistry
• Materials science

Background:

• Liposomes are crucial in drug delivery and biomimetic studies.
• Understanding liposome aggregation is key to controlling their properties.
• Divalent cations like magnesium and calcium are known to induce liposome aggregation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the aggregation of charged liposomes induced by magnesium ions.
• To characterize the morphology and kinetics of magnesium-induced liposome aggregates.
• To compare the effect of magnesium with calcium on liposome aggregation.

Main Methods:

• Static and dynamic light scattering (SLS/DLS) with cross-correlation scheme.
• Cryotransmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM).
• Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

Main Results:

• Liposome aggregation evolved from surface fractals to mass fractals with increasing magnesium concentration.
• Cryo-TEM micrographs confirmed the fractal nature of the aggregates.
• Comparative analysis suggested hydration energy differences play a role in cluster morphology, supported by FTIR and kinetic data.

Conclusions:

• Magnesium-induced liposome aggregation exhibits a concentration-dependent fractal evolution.
• Hydration energy differences between magnesium and calcium ions significantly influence aggregate morphology.
• The study provides insights into controlling liposome assembly through cation choice.