Full Description
In vitro utilization of liposomes is now recognized as a powerful tool in many bioscience investigations and their associated clinical studies, e.g., liposomes in drug targeting; liposomes in gene transport across plasma and nuclear membranes; liposomes in enzyme therapy in patients with genetic disorders. However, before these areas can be effectively explored, many basic areas in liposome research require elucidation, including: (a) attachment of liposomes to cell surfaces; (b) permeation of liposomes through the plasma membranes; and (c) stability of liposomes in cell or nuclear matrices. None of these areas have been exhaustively explored and liposome researchers have ample opportunities to contribute to our knowledge. The aim of Liposome Methods and Protocols is to bring together a wide range of detailed laboratory protocols covering different aspects of liposome biology in order to assist researchers in those rapidly advancing medical fields mentioned earlier. With this goal in mind, in each protocol chapter we have detailed the materials to be used, followed by a step-by-step protocol. The Notes section of each protocol is also certain to prove particularly useful, since the authors include troubleshooting tips straight from their benchtops, valuable information that is seldom given in restricted methods sections of standard research journals. For this reason we feel that the book will prove especially useful for all researchers in the liposome field.
Contents
Physical Properties.- Preparation, Isolation, and Characterization of Liposomes Containing Natural and Synthetic Lipids.- Preparation and Use of Liposomes for the Study of Sphingolipid Segregation in Membrane Model Systems.- Liposome Fusion/Modulation.- Peptide-Induced Fusion of Liposomes.- Liposomes.- Lipids in Viral Fusion.- Application of Liposomes.- Liposome-Mediated, Fluorescence-Based Studies of Sphingolipid Metabolism in Intact Cells.- Micelles and Liposomes in Metabolic Enzyme and Glycolipid Glycosyltransferase Assays.- Liposomes and Phospholipid Binding Proteins in Glycoprotein Biosynthesis.- Therapeutic Uses of Antioxidant Liposomes.- Targeted Gene Delivery by Virosomes*.- Liposomes Containing Ligands.- Preparation and Characterization of Glycolipid-Bearing Multilamellar and Unilamellar Liposomes.- Use of Liposomes Containing Carbohydrates for Production of Monoclonal Antibodies.- Inhibition of Tumor Metastasis by Liposomes Containing Glyco-Replica Peptides.- Use of Phospholipid Bilayers and Monolayers in Binding Studies of Vitamin K-Dependent Blood Coagulation Proteins.
