If you are wondering what a Liposome is, these are tiny bubbles or vesicles that are primarily made out of materials that are extremely similar to cell membranes and are artificially prepared. The name Liposome comes from the 2 Greek words: namely "Lipos" which means fat and "Soma" which refers to the word body. They are formed in various sizes and made from soy and egg.
More than 50 years ago researchers on both the scientific and medical levels uncovered the additional benefit of using these miniature spheres to transfer medicines deep inside the cells of the body. They adequately protect and encapsulate the drugs that have to be delivered right at cell level. It is this characteristic that has made them one of the most used methods during Cancer patient treatments.
These artificial cell membranes are generally phospholipids; which essentially can be described as molecules compromised of two different groups; firstly the head groups and then the tail groups are found. Water attracts the head groups of these cells while the tail groups repel the aqueous fluids; the tails contain hydrocarbon chains. This in turn is what makes these therapeutic bubbles work so effectively.
Phospholipids can be described as stable membranes comprised of bilateral cell membranes. On entering the body, the "Lipos" heads combine on the outer surface of the cells, into a membrane layer that are all accumulated facing the water, whereas the tails of these cells in turn form a layer facing in the opposite direction away from the fluid. On entering the cells, the heads then face towards the outside of the cells attracted to the fluid surrounding it. Then at the same time the two head layers are drawn to the fluids in and around the cells within the body.
One hydrocarbon layer or layer of tails face another layer of hydrocarbon tails and consequently forms the subsequent bilayer structure. When the membrane of the phospholipid gets dispersed or disrupted, they reassemble into lesser spheres not much larger than normal cells. They then either form monolayer membranes or bilayer membranes.
These bilayer structures are in fact what are commonly known as Liposomes while the monolayer cells that are found are called Micelles. The membrane of the plasma contains lipids or basically a cell fluid; and these are mainly composed of Phosphatidylethanolamine as well as Phosphatidylcholine. Phosphates are the head of the cell and the tails are composed of fatty-acids.
Research has unfortunately not shown the full therapeutic agents within the released liposome. There is however a few theories on what process occurs once the drugs enter the cells when delivered using this specific system. One of these theories is the suggestion that phospholipids get processed by the liver in the form of a fat. It is believed that this in turn releases vitamin C.
Another suggested theory is that phospholipid starved cells throughout desperately take in the lipids from the Liposome, as it is required in the reparation of membranes of cells; this causes tears in the Lipo-membrane thus releasing the contained liquids into the cells itself. It has further been suggested by researchers that both mentioned processes might actually take place. All the same, it has sparked numerous scientific trials to test its validity in the treatment of different types of Cancer.
More than 50 years ago researchers on both the scientific and medical levels uncovered the additional benefit of using these miniature spheres to transfer medicines deep inside the cells of the body. They adequately protect and encapsulate the drugs that have to be delivered right at cell level. It is this characteristic that has made them one of the most used methods during Cancer patient treatments.
These artificial cell membranes are generally phospholipids; which essentially can be described as molecules compromised of two different groups; firstly the head groups and then the tail groups are found. Water attracts the head groups of these cells while the tail groups repel the aqueous fluids; the tails contain hydrocarbon chains. This in turn is what makes these therapeutic bubbles work so effectively.
Phospholipids can be described as stable membranes comprised of bilateral cell membranes. On entering the body, the "Lipos" heads combine on the outer surface of the cells, into a membrane layer that are all accumulated facing the water, whereas the tails of these cells in turn form a layer facing in the opposite direction away from the fluid. On entering the cells, the heads then face towards the outside of the cells attracted to the fluid surrounding it. Then at the same time the two head layers are drawn to the fluids in and around the cells within the body.
One hydrocarbon layer or layer of tails face another layer of hydrocarbon tails and consequently forms the subsequent bilayer structure. When the membrane of the phospholipid gets dispersed or disrupted, they reassemble into lesser spheres not much larger than normal cells. They then either form monolayer membranes or bilayer membranes.
These bilayer structures are in fact what are commonly known as Liposomes while the monolayer cells that are found are called Micelles. The membrane of the plasma contains lipids or basically a cell fluid; and these are mainly composed of Phosphatidylethanolamine as well as Phosphatidylcholine. Phosphates are the head of the cell and the tails are composed of fatty-acids.
Research has unfortunately not shown the full therapeutic agents within the released liposome. There is however a few theories on what process occurs once the drugs enter the cells when delivered using this specific system. One of these theories is the suggestion that phospholipids get processed by the liver in the form of a fat. It is believed that this in turn releases vitamin C.
Another suggested theory is that phospholipid starved cells throughout desperately take in the lipids from the Liposome, as it is required in the reparation of membranes of cells; this causes tears in the Lipo-membrane thus releasing the contained liquids into the cells itself. It has further been suggested by researchers that both mentioned processes might actually take place. All the same, it has sparked numerous scientific trials to test its validity in the treatment of different types of Cancer.
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