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Direct visualization of dispersed lipid bicontinuous cubic phases by cryo-electron tomography

Author

Listed:
  • Davide Demurtas

    (Interdisciplinary Centre for Electron Microscopy, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL))

  • Paul Guichard

    (Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL))

  • Isabelle Martiel

    (ETH Zurich
    Present address: Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen 5232, Switzerland)

  • Raffaele Mezzenga

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Cécile Hébert

    (Interdisciplinary Centre for Electron Microscopy, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL))

  • Laurent Sagalowicz

    (Nestlé Research Center, Vers-Chez-Les-Blanc)

Abstract

Bulk and dispersed cubic liquid crystalline phases (cubosomes), present in the body and in living cell membranes, are believed to play an essential role in biological phenomena. Moreover, their biocompatibility is attractive for nutrient or drug delivery system applications. Here the three-dimensional organization of dispersed cubic lipid self-assembled phases is fully revealed by cryo-electron tomography and compared with simulated structures. It is demonstrated that the interior is constituted of a perfect bicontinuous cubic phase, while the outside shows interlamellar attachments, which represent a transition state between the liquid crystalline interior phase and the outside vesicular structure. Therefore, compositional gradients within cubosomes are inferred, with a lipid bilayer separating at least one water channel set from the external aqueous phase. This is crucial to understand and enhance controlled release of target molecules and calls for a revision of postulated transport mechanisms from cubosomes to the aqueous phase.

Suggested Citation

  • Davide Demurtas & Paul Guichard & Isabelle Martiel & Raffaele Mezzenga & Cécile Hébert & Laurent Sagalowicz, 2015. "Direct visualization of dispersed lipid bicontinuous cubic phases by cryo-electron tomography," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms9915
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9915
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    Cited by:

    1. Roy Pattipeiluhu & Ye Zeng & Marco M.R.M. Hendrix & Ilja K. Voets & Alexander Kros & Thomas H. Sharp, 2024. "Liquid crystalline inverted lipid phases encapsulating siRNA enhance lipid nanoparticle mediated transfection," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.

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