Gas and oxygen carrying lipid vesicles
First Claim
1. A paucilamellar lipid vesicle comprising a large, amorphous central cavity surrounded by 2-10 lipid bilayers having a moderately volatile liquid encapsulated in said central cavity, said moderately volatile liquid having the following properties:
- a) it is less volatile than aqueous solutions,b) it is more volatile than the lipid and any materials forming said lipid bilayers,c) it can be evaporated from said lipid vesicle without damaging the structural integrity of said lipid vesicle,d) it is substantially immiscible with aqueous solutions,e) it is substantially immiscible with the lipid forming said lipid bilayers, andf) it is substantial unreactive with the lipid in said lipid bilayer.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to the production of lipid vesicles having a moderately volatile material such as a perfluorocarbon or a silicone oil encapsulated therein. In another aspect, lipid vesicles having a gas-filled center or core are made. The lipid vesicles having gas-filled central core are made by dehydrating vesicles having the moderately volatile liquid encapsulated in the central core. This drives off the water first, allowing the moderately volatile liquid to stabilize the vesicle structure as it dries, finally forming a central void which can refract light. The preferred vesicles of the invention are paucilamellar vesicles.
116 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A paucilamellar lipid vesicle comprising a large, amorphous central cavity surrounded by 2-10 lipid bilayers having a moderately volatile liquid encapsulated in said central cavity, said moderately volatile liquid having the following properties:
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a) it is less volatile than aqueous solutions, b) it is more volatile than the lipid and any materials forming said lipid bilayers, c) it can be evaporated from said lipid vesicle without damaging the structural integrity of said lipid vesicle, d) it is substantially immiscible with aqueous solutions, e) it is substantially immiscible with the lipid forming said lipid bilayers, and f) it is substantial unreactive with the lipid in said lipid bilayer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of manufacturing gas-filled paucilamellar lipid vesicles having 2-10 lipid bilayers surrounding a substantially amorphous, gas-filled central cavity comprising the steps of:
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a) hydrating the lipid to be used as the primary structural wall material with an aqueous solution to form paucilamellar lipid vesicles filled with said aqueous solution in said central cavity, b) mixing said lipid vesicles with a moderately volatile liquid that is (1) substantially immiscible with said lipid, (2) substantially immiscible with aqueous solutions, (3) less volatile than aqueous solutions, (4) more volatile than said lipid, (5) substantially unreactive with lipid, and (6) can be evaporated from said lipid without damaging the structural integrity of said paucilamellar lipid vesicles to form moderately volatile liquid filled paucilamellar lipid vesicles, c) removing said aqueous solution and said moderately volatile material from said paucilamellar lipid vesicles without damaging the structural integrity of said paucilamellar lipid vesicles, whereby said gas-filled paucilamellar vesicles are formed. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification