What are Polymerosomes and Synthosomes?
Polymersomes are made using amphiphilic synthetic block copolymers to form the vesicle membrane, and have radii ranging from 50 nm to 5 µm or more. Synthosomes are polymersomes engineered to contain channels (transmembrane proteins) that allow certain chemicals to pass through the membrane, into or out of the vesicle.
What are vesicles and liposomes?
A vesicle is a relatively small and enclosed compartment, separated from the cytosol by at least one lipid bilayer. The vesicle is the simplest organelle in the cell. Phospholipid vesicles or liposomes can mimic secretory vesicles such as zymogen granules or synaptic vesicles by incorporating vesicular proteins.
What are polymeric liposomes?
Multilamellar liposomes are usually used to deliver such drugs, as they have high lipid-to-water ratio. When polymeric nanoparticles are used to encapsulate drugs, two main approaches are used: encapsulation during particle formation and diffusion of the active compound into previously synthesized nanospheres.
Why do phospholipids form liposomes?
Membrane phospholipids When the phospholipid bilayer cellular membrane is exposed to water, the head group is attracted to water and forms a surface facing the water. At the same time, the lipophilic tails are repelled by water and subsequently form a surface that opposes the water.
How do liposomes release drugs?
Mechanism Of Action Of Liposomes For the deliverance of necessary drug molecules to the site of action, the lipid bilayers fuse with other bilayers of the cell (cell membrane) to release the liposomal content.
Are dendrimers nanomaterials?
Dendrimers are nearly monodisperse macromolecules that contain symmetric branching units built around a small molecule or a linear polymer core [5-7]. The advantages of these well-defined materials make them the newest class of macromolecular nano-scale delivery devices [18].
What are Pamam dendrimers?
PAMAM dendrimers are a family of highly branched and mono-disperse synthetic macromolecules with well-defined structures and compositions. Synthesis of these nanocarriers can be carried out through the divergent route.
Which is better a liposome or a polymersome?
In comparison the cell membrane is 8–10 nm thick, including the lipid bilayer, membrane proteins and small molecules (cholesterol and carbohydrates). 17 In this respect, the appropriately designed polymersomes compare better to natural cells than liposomes, despite the latter being chemically more similar to a cell.
How are liposomes used to treat drug side effects?
Liposomes have proven useful in reducing the side effects of encapsulated drugs and passively accumulating in areas of high vasculature when the particle size is below 200 nm. In addition, the incorporation of PEG ensures that there is an extended circulatory time as the liposomes are not recognised by the RES.
What kind of polymers are used in polymersomes?
Polymersomes consist of amphiphilic block polymers capable of self-assembling into nanoscale vesicles, with PEG commonly used as the hydrophilic block ( Bleul et al., 2015 ).