Saturday, March 2, 2013

Essential Facts To Know About Liposome

By Ava Hudson


Liposomes are known as the microscopic vesicles often developed in laboratory settings. Each of these have outer walls comprising lipids that may seem similar or sometimes even identical to substances composing cell walls. These allow them to interact rather directly with body cells. The applications possible for liposome include targeted deliveries of medications, body areas and research on genetics.

The history of these microscopic vesicles dates back to the 1960s when the British researcher, Alec Bangham first developed them. According to records, he was just experimenting with a brand new laboratory device when he started taking notes of the typical cell wall structure. Utilizing the notes, he managed coming up with the idea for liposomes. Numerous researchers have worked with developing the idea ever since, gathering important details about it.

A cell membrane is created with a double layer of phospholipid. It has a tail that is repelled by water and a head that is drawn by it. A cell wall, however, has a tail and a head that encapsulates the cell in two layers. The head faces outward while the tail will be connected to that of another cell. This prompts the head of the opposite side to face the cell. Such positioning is actually the same as that of a liposome wall.

Liposomes may be utilized for packing medication, DNA, vaccines and various other important substances. The moment they will be induced into the body, body cells will engage with them, prompting the payload delivery. The ability of liposomes to shield weak cells against harsh drugs is one reason as to why they are usually considered by many. They are non-toxic as well so drug deliveries shall not result to any reaction.

In most laboratory settings, liposomes will be utilized for the transport of DNA into particular target cells. This is more often preferred by researchers as compared to using bacterial and viral vectors for genetic modifications because it entails more advantages. Many lab experiments also suggest that these vesicles may be utilized for delivering gene therapies for patients. Such will constitute delivering replacement DNAs for damaged materials.

These vesicles may also be utilized as carriers for nutritional and dietary supplements. They are known to come with hydrophilic and lypophilic nutrients which make them effective in bypassing destructive elements brought about by the gastric system. Such makes it possible for encapsulated nutrients to reach the cells as well as the tissues.

Liposomes may also be used for cosmetics aside from scientific and medical purposes. They are actually really effective especially when used in moisturizers since they increase product efficacy and strength considerably. As with developments that have started in scientific communities, they have also been used as advertising points in ingredient lists.

There are several parameters that can hold an impact on how liposomes can be prepared. These include the optimum size, polydiversity, and shelf-life of vesicles, the physicochemical characteristic of the material to be entrapped, its concentration level, and the way a lipid vesicle will disperse. How easy the liposomal product can be reproduced will also affect how it will be prepared.

There are various advancements in the field of liposome research that contributed to allowing the products to remain undetected by immune systems. Such are commonly referred as stealth liposomes. These particular types are created with PEG, also called Polyethylene Glycol.




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