Vesicle local polarities

Most of the characteristics invoked to explain rate accelerations and rate retardations by micelles are valid for vesicles as well. For example, the alkaline hydrolysis of A-methyl-A-nitroso-p-toluenesulfonamide is accelerated by cationic vesicles (dioctade-cyldimethylammonium chloride). This rate acceleration is the result of a higher local OH concentration which more than compensates for the decreased polarity of the vesicular pseudophase (compared to both water and micelles) resulting in a lower local second-order rate constant. Similar to effects found for micelles, the partial dehydration of OH and the lower local polarity are considered to contribute significantly to the catalysis of the Kemp elimination " by DODAB vesicles. Even the different... 

All three methods give similar values of interfacial potentials typical results for some of micelles and vesicles are listed in Table 3. Also listed are estimates of interfacial dielectric constants (e), determined by comparing the position of absorption bands of solvatochromic indicators in the surfactant assemblies with that of reference 1,4-dioxane water mixtures with known e values. More generally, luminescence probe analysis [49], thermal leasing [50] and absorption spectroscopy [47, 51] are techniques that have all been utilized to measure local polarities in micelles and vesicles. It is important to note that these methods presume knowledge of the loca-... 

Due to their physicochemical properties trace amines can pass the cell membrane to a limited extent by passive diffusion, with the more lipophilic PEA and TRP crossing membranes more readily than the more polar amines TYR. and OCT. In spite of these features, trace amines show a heterogeneous tissue distribution in the vertebrate brain, and for TYR. and OCT storage in synaptic vesicles as well as activity-dependent release have been demonstrated. So far, trace amines have always been found co-localized with monoamine neurotransmitters, and there is no evidence for neurons or synapses exclusively containing trace amines. 

Vesicles can be used to entrap water-soluble compounds, which cannot pass the membrane within the inner water volume. Inorganic salts or organic polyelectrolytes are typical examples. Protic acids pass fluid membranes within a minute or so, and membranes containing 50% of cholesterol stabilize a pH gradient of two units for about 30 minutes. Hydrophobic compounds are dissolved within the membrane. Rigid or polar, poorly water-soluble compounds are mostly localized on the outer or inner surfaces of vesicles (Fig. 2.5.10). 

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