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Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope Imaging of Vesicle Systems

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Liposomes

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1522))

Abstract

The structural characteristics of liposomes have been widely investigated and there is certainly a strong understanding of their morphological characteristics. Imaging of these systems, using techniques such as freeze-fracturing methods, transmission electron microscopy, and cryo-electron imaging, has allowed us to appreciate their bilayer structures and factors which can influence this. However, there are few methods which all us to study these systems in their natural hydrated state; commonly the liposomes are visualized after drying, staining, and/or fixation of the vesicles. Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) offers the ability to image a liposome in its hydrated state without the need for prior sample preparation. Within our studies we were the first to use ESEM to study liposomes and niosomes and we have been able to dynamically follow the hydration of lipid films and changes in liposome suspensions as water condenses on to, or evaporates from, the sample in real time. This provides insight into the resistance of liposomes to coalescence during dehydration, thereby providing an alternative assay of liposome formulation and stability.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support for the following researchers: during the time of this work Afzal Mohammed’s was supported by Pfizer Global Research and The School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University; Anil Vangala was awarded an Aston Scholarship; Daniel Kirby was funded by the European Commission (contract no. LSHP-CT-2003-503367), Habib Ali and Sarah McNeil were both funded through EPSRC Case awards, with additional support from Lipoxen Technologies Ltd for Sarah McNeil.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK

    Habib Ali, Daniel J Kirby, Afzal U. R. Mohammed & Sarah E. McNeil

  2. School of Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston University, London, KT1 2EE, UK

    Anil Vangala

  3. Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 ORE, Scotland

    Yvonne Perrie

Authors
  1. Yvonne Perrie
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  2. Habib Ali
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  3. Daniel J Kirby
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  4. Afzal U. R. Mohammed
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  5. Sarah E. McNeil
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  6. Anil Vangala
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yvonne Perrie .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy – Boston, MCPHS University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Gerard G.M. D'Souza

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Perrie, Y., Ali, H., Kirby, D.J., Mohammed, A.U.R., McNeil, S.E., Vangala, A. (2017). Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope Imaging of Vesicle Systems. In: D'Souza, G. (eds) Liposomes. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1522. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6591-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6591-5_11

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6589-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6591-5

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