• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.131-139
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• 1994

Calcein-encapsulated small unilamellar vesicles of various lipid composition were prepared using the sonication technique, and their stabilities at $20^{\circ}C$ were examined by measuring calcein leakage from the liposomes. The fluidity of these liposomal bilayers was also investigated by measuring the fluorescence polarization of DPH labelled into the liposomes. The results showed that liposomes made of PC mixtures with different acyl chain length were very stable, which may be due to the formation of interdigitated bilayer structure. The addition of cholesterol further stabilized these PC liposomes. However, addition of cholesterol reduced the encapsulation efficiences of liposomes. The fluidity of the liposomes was significantly decreased by cholesterol in the liquid crystalline state, but not changed in the gel state. These results suggest that the enhanced stability of PC mixture liposomes may be ascribed to the formation of stable interdigitated bilayer structure. In membrane-mimetic and drug-delivery studies, vesicles made of mixtures of various phospholipids are recommended instead of addition of cholesterol to the phospholipid.