From Nanovesicles to Nanobubbles Based on Repeated Compression Method.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Nanobubbles are increasingly used in biomedicine as ultrasound contrast agents and for gene/drug delivery.
• Current methods often use disordered shell materials, limiting nanobubble uniformity and stability.
• The repeated compression method has shown promise for producing lipid-shelled nanobubbles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the response of well-organized nanostructures (liposomes and polymeric nanovesicles) to the repeated compression method.
• To determine the critical factors for generating nanobubbles from pre-formed nanostructures.
• To understand how nanostructure organization influences nanobubble formation and properties.

Main Methods:

• Pre-prepared liposomes and polymeric nanovesicles were subjected to a continuous repeated compression method.
• Size distribution and morphologies of nanovesicles were analyzed before and after compression.
• Ultrasound image contrast enhancement was evaluated to assess nanobubble performance.

Main Results:

• A phospholipid bilayer is essential for forming liposome-based nanobubbles.
• A low elastic modulus of the polymeric membrane is crucial for gas encapsulation in polymeric nanovesicles.
• The repeated compression method effectively generated nanobubbles from these organized nanostructures.

Conclusions:

• Well-organized nanostructures offer advantages for producing uniform and stable nanobubbles.
• Understanding the role of shell material properties is key to optimizing nanobubble preparation.
• This study provides new insights into the design and production of nanobubbles for biomedical applications.