Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In this paper we consider an unilamellar liposome (lipid vesicle) filled with aqueous solution of an osmotic solute. This liposome is introduced in an aqueous medium of large dimensions. Due to the osmosis process the liposome swells to a critical size, when a transmembranar pore suddenly appears. Part of the internal solution leaks through this pore and the liposome elaxes and returns to its initial size. The swelling starts again and the liposome begins a new cycle and so on. The evolution of the liposome is a dynamic and cyclical process. After performing a number of cycles, the pulsatory liposome stops. The swelling of the liposome is described by a differential equation. All the processes which contribute to the liposome relaxing and its coming back to the initial size (pore evolution and internal solution delivery) are described by three differential equations. During each cycle, the pulsatory liposome releases a certain amount of osmotic solute. The osmotic solute can be a pharmacological substance, genetic material or a special substance. So the pulsatory liposome can be used in biomedical applications. It can be assimilated to a biophysical engine. In this paper we have calculated the amount of osmotic solute released during each cycle from the activity of a pulsatory liposome.
Source: Romanian Reports in Physics
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: Universitatea din București
OpenAlex ID: W4410898133