Abstract
Four new phospholipid derivatives containing a beta-nitrostyrene unit linked to the phosphate headgroup have been synthesized and converted into unilamellar vesicles. The vesicles were characterized by freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FFEM), cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM), light scattering, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). At pH 11.5 and at T <T-m, the beta-nitrostyrene unit can be cleaved specifically exo-vesicularly. The cleavage process was analyzed in terms of a model providing independent rates of hydrolysis and flip-flop. Furthermore, the beta-nitrostyrene units can be polymerized yielding a polystyrene derivative. Neither the exo-vesicular cleavage nor the polymerization influence the morphology of the vesicles (FFEM, cryo-SEM, and light scattering). Exo-vesicular cleavage followed by polymerization of the remaining endo-vesicular beta-nitrostyrene units results in the first examples of vesicles containing a polymer-immobilized inner bilayer leaflet and a ''monomeric'' outer bilayer leaflet. Such vesicles are of interest for studies of the mechanism effusion of bilayers formed from synthetic amphiphiles.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 5773 - 5780 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Langmuir |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 24 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 27-Nov-1996 |
Keywords
- MEMBRANE-FUSION
- PHOSPHATE VESICLES
- ASYMMETRIC FUSION
- AQUEOUS-SOLUTION
- LIPID BILAYERS
- MECHANISM
- MODEL
- PHASE
- MICELLAR
- LAMELLAR