Polymer vesicles structural stability

A novel polymerized vesicular system for controlled release, which contains a cyclic a-alkoxyacrylate as the polymerizable group on the amphiphilic structure, has been developed. These lipids can be easily polymerized through a free radical process. It has been shown that polymerization improves the stabilities of the synthetic vesicles. In the aqueous system the cyclic acrylate group, which connects the polymerized chain and the amphiphilic structure, can be slowly hydrolyzed to separate the polymer chain and the vesicular system and generate a water-soluble biodegradable polymer. Furthermore, in order to retain the fluidity and to prepare the polymerized vesicles directly from prev lymerized lipids, a hydrophilic spacer has been introduced. 

Principles to stabilize lipid bilayers by polymerization have been outlined schematically in Fig. 4a-d. Mother Nature — unfamiliar with the radically initiated polymerization of unsaturated compounds — uses other methods to-stabilize biomembranes. Polypeptides and polysaccharide derivatives act as a type of net which supports the biomembrane. Typical examples are spectrin, located at the inner surface of the erythrocyte membrane, clathrin, which is the major constituent of the coat structure in coated vesicles, and murein (peptidoglycan) a macromolecule coating the bacterial membrane as a component of the cell wall. Is it possible to mimic Nature and stabilize synthetic lipid bilayers by coating the liposome with a polymeric network without any covalent linkage between the vesicle and the polymer One can imagine different ways for the coating of liposomes with a polymer. This is illustrated below in Fig. 53. 

Polymerization of LB films, or deposition of LB films on polymers, offers the opportunity to impart to LB films a higher degree of mechanical integrity. However, preliminary work in this direction shows a conflict between the chainlike primary structure of the polymer and the well-organized supramo-lecular structure [15]. One possible solution may be the insertion of flexible spacers between the main chain polymer and the side chain amphiphile, a route also employed in liquid crystal polymers. These materials belong to an interesting class of two-dimensional polymers, of which there are few examples. These toughening techniques may eventually be applied to stabilize other self-assembled microstructures, such as vesicles, membranes, and microemulsions. 

In the field of biology, the effects of hydration on equilibrium protein structure and dynamics are fundamental to the relationship between structure and biological function [21-27]. In particular, the assessment of perturbation of liquid water structure and dynamics by hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecular surfaces is fundamental to the quantitative understanding of the stability and enzymatic activity of globular proteins and functions of membranes. Examples of structures that impose spatial restriction on water molecules include polymer gels, micelles, vesicles, and microemulsions. In the last three cases since the hydrophobic effect is the primary cause for the self-organization of these structures, obviously the configuration of water molecules near the hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces is of considerable relevance. 

There are various morphologies of latex particles available these include core-shell and other complex morphologies within the latex particles, and also hollow latex particles. The traditional route to hollow latex particles is the production of core-shell latexes whore the inno core of the latex particles can be removed in a post-polymerization process [8]. These hoUow latex particles have a varied of uses in surface coatings, controlled release tedmologies and as opacifiers. Recently a new approach to the production of hollow latex particles has been developed [9]. In tiiis approach a surfactant structure is stabilized by the polymerization of a vinyl monomer via free radicals in the walls of the vesicles. A vesicle, which is usually a meta-stable structure is converted into a hollow latex particle . This process, while not strictly an emulsion polymerization, has been optimized by use of emulsion polymerization procedures [10]. In the future it is possible that many other unique surfactant structures may be maintained by the in situ introduction of polymer. 

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