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A Quantitative Fluorescence Microscopy-based Single Liposome Assay for Detecting the Compositional Inhomogeneity Between Individual Liposomes
Published on: December 13, 2019
Morphological study of acoustic liposomes using transmission electron microscopy
Tetsuya Kodama1, Noriko Tomita, Sachiko Horie
1Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo, Aoba, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan. kodama@bme.tohoku.ac.jp
Journal of Electron Microscopy
|November 13, 2009
Summary
Acoustic liposomes (ALs) show potential as drug carriers and ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs). This study characterized ALs, finding they are smaller than other UCAs and can carry drugs and gases.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Sonoporation utilizes ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) for drug delivery.
- Acoustic liposomes (ALs) are engineered as dual-function UCAs and drug carriers.
- Understanding AL structure is crucial for optimizing their performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the structure of acoustic liposomes (ALs).
- To compare ALs with other UCAs (albumin bubbles and lipid bubbles).
- To assess the drug and gas-carrying capabilities of ALs.
Main Methods:
- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for structural analysis.
- Dynamic light scattering for particle size measurement.
- Zeta potential measurements to assess surface charge.
Main Results:
- ALs are approximately 200 nm, smaller than albumin bubbles (ABs) and lipid bubbles (LBs).
- ALs and LBs exhibit near-neutral zeta potentials, while ABs are strongly negative.
- TEM revealed approximately 20% of ALs contain both liquid and gas, with 80% containing liquid only.
Conclusions:
- ALs possess suitable characteristics for drug and gas encapsulation.
- ALs demonstrate potential as advanced ultrasound contrast agents.
- Further research can optimize ALs for targeted drug delivery and sonoporation.
