Liposomes

Chapter
First Online:

Abstract

Lipid-based nanoparticles such as liposomes have been at the forefront of drug delivery science since their discovery in the 1960s. Although liposomes were used initially as model membrane systems, creative scientists quickly saw the potential for liposomes as drug carriers. Since then, liposomes have been used as small-scale carrier systems capable of delivering low molecular weight drugs as well as large proteins and even therapeutic nucleic acid sequences. These formulations can be designed to passively target areas of disease. Additionally, lipid composition may be used to control when and where a liposome-associated therapeutic agent is released. In this chapter, the general makeup of lipid carriers, the manufacturing processes used to generate them, important physical characteristics, and their behavior in vivo are discussed. Examples of biomedical applications are given, including a review of some liposomal drug formulations that have already been approved for clinical use.

Keywords

Head Group Encapsulation Efficiency Liposomal Formulation Cationic Lipid Cationic Liposome 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

List of Abbreviations

AAT

Alpha-1antitrypsin

ASON

Antisense oligonucleotides

CF

Cystic fibrosis

CFTR

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator

CTL

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes

DDS

Drug delivery system

dLOS

Deacylated lipooligosaccharide

DOPC

1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine

DOPE

1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine

DOTAP

1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium- propane (chloride salt)

DOTMA

N-[1-(2, 3-dioleyloyx) propyl]-N-N-N-trimethyl ammonia chloride

DPPC

1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine

DSPC

Distearoylphosphatidylcholine

EM

Electron microscopy

EPR

Enhanced permeability and retention

GC

Glucocorticoid

HAV

Hepatitis A virus

hdls

High-density lipoproteins

i.v.

An intravenous

IBD

Inflammatory bowel disease

LUV

Large unilamellar vesicle

MHCII

Major histocompatibility complex class II

MLV

Multilaminar vesicles

MPS

Mononuclear phagocytic system

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging

NMR

Nuclear magnetic resonance

OMP

Purified outer membrane proteins

PEG

Polyethylene glycol

PKN3

Protein kinase N3

RES

Reticuloendothelial system

SAXS

Small angle X-ray scattering

SDBS

Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate

SEC

Size exclusion chromatography

siRNA

Small interfering ribonucleic acids

SUV

Small unilamellar vesicle

Tc

Transition temperature

VEGF

Vascular endothelial growth factor

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Biology and Department of Health ScienceLangara CollegeVancouverCanada
  2. 2.Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineExperimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer AgencyVancouverCanada
  3. 3.Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medical Oncology, BC Cancer AgencyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
  4. 4.Centre for Drug Research and DevelopmentVancouverCanada

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