Design and Characterization of Synthetic Bilayer Vesicles with a Polymerized Inner Bilayer Leaflet

Ravoo, Bart Jan,
Weringa, Wilke D.,
Engberts, Jan B.F.N.,

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Publication date

January 1996

DOI

10.1021/la960322+

ISSN

0743-7463

Abstract

Four new phospholipid derivatives containing a β-nitrostyrene unit linked to the phosphate headgroup have been synthesized and converted into unilamellar vesicles. The vesicles were characterized by freezefracture transmission electron microscopy (FFEM), cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM), light scattering, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). At pH 11.5 and at T<Tm, the β-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 â-nitrostyrene units can be polymerized yielding a polystyrene derivative. Neither the exo-vesicular cleavage nor the polymerization influence the morphology of the...