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Related Concept Videos

Micelles01:30

Micelles

Micelle formation is an intricate process that hinges on the properties of amphiphilic or amphipathic molecules and the conditions of the system in which they are found. Amphiphilic molecules, which have both hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) parts, play a critical role in this process.In aqueous environments, these molecules arrange themselves such that their hydrophilic heads are turned towards the water phase, while their hydrophobic tails are oriented away...
Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization01:25

Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization

Crystallization is a phase transformation process in which crystals are precipitated from a supersaturated solution or formed from other sources. During crystallization, atoms or molecules arrange themselves into a well-defined, rigid crystal lattice to minimize energy.
Initiating crystallization involves manipulating the concentration of the solute and the temperature of the solution. Since crystal growth occurs when the ratio of concentration and solubility of the solute in the solvent – the...
Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is a relatively...
Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates loosely attached to one another through chemical interactions. Molecules are generally able to move about in the plane of the membrane, giving the membrane its flexible nature called fluidity. Two other features of the membrane contribute to membrane fluidity: the chemical structure of the phospholipids and the presence of cholesterol in the membrane.
Detergent Purification of Membrane Proteins01:18

Detergent Purification of Membrane Proteins

Detergents are used to purify the integral proteins of the membrane. The hydrophobic portion of the detergent can replace membrane phospholipids while solubilizing the membrane proteins. When detergent monomers reach a specific concentration in a solution called critical micelle concentration (CMC), they form micelles. Above CMC, the concentration of the detergent monomers remains in equilibrium with the micelle. The number of detergent monomers present in the CMC varies for each detergent, and...
Precipitate Formation and Particle Size Control01:16

Precipitate Formation and Particle Size Control

In precipitation gravimetry, the precipitating agent should react specifically or selectively with the analyte. While a specific reagent reacts with the analyte alone, a selective reagent can react with a limited number of chemical species.
The obtained precipitate should be either a pure substance of known composition or easily converted to one by a simple process, such as ignition or drying. In addition, the precipitate should be insoluble and easily filterable. In general, filterability...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

Fabrication of Spherical and Worm-shaped Micellar Nanocrystals by Combining Electrospray, Self-assembly, and Solvent-based Structure Control
06:16

Fabrication of Spherical and Worm-shaped Micellar Nanocrystals by Combining Electrospray, Self-assembly, and Solvent-based Structure Control

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Achieving micelle control through core crystallinity.

Lidija Glavas1, Peter Olsén, Karin Odelius

  • 1Fiber and Polymer Technology, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, KTH, Royal Institute of Technology , SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.

Biomacromolecules
|September 27, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Researchers controlled polyester micelle properties by varying hydrophobic block crystallinity. Semicrystalline cores yielded lower critical micelle concentrations and smaller sizes, optimizing drug delivery systems.

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Fabrication of Spherical and Worm-shaped Micellar Nanocrystals by Combining Electrospray, Self-assembly, and Solvent-based Structure Control
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High-throughput Crystallization of Membrane Proteins Using the Lipidic Bicelle Method
07:26

High-throughput Crystallization of Membrane Proteins Using the Lipidic Bicelle Method

Published on: January 9, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Polyester-based micelles are promising for drug delivery.
  • Controlling micelle properties like critical micelle concentration (CMC) and size is crucial for optimizing drug encapsulation and release.
  • The influence of hydrophobic core crystallinity on these properties is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design a method for controlling the critical micelle concentration (CMC) and micelle size of polyester-based systems.
  • To investigate the impact of hydrophobic block crystallinity (semicrystalline vs. amorphous) on micelle characteristics.
  • To explore the potential of these tailored micelles for drug delivery applications.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesized various polyester copolymers with semicrystalline or amorphous hydrophobic blocks using ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone, L-lactide, and ε-decalactone.
  • Utilized polyethylene glycol (PEG) as both initiator and hydrophilic block.
  • Characterized micelle properties, including CMC and size, in relation to hydrophobic core structure and molecular weight.

Main Results:

  • Micelles with amorphous cores showed significantly higher CMCs compared to those with semicrystalline cores.
  • Amorphous core micelles increased in size with higher hydrophobic block molecular weight, while semicrystalline core micelles showed the opposite trend.
  • Polyethylene glycol-polydécalactone (PEG-PεDL) was identified as a useful component for tuning micelle properties.

Conclusions:

  • Core crystallinity is a powerful tool for tailoring micelle properties in polyester systems.
  • The ability to control CMC and micelle size facilitates the optimization of drug delivery systems.
  • Strategic design of hydrophobic blocks and the incorporation of specific copolymers like PEG-PεDL enable precise control over micelle behavior.