Effect of Freeze-Thawing and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Lipid on Fusion and Fission of Phospholipid Vesicles

摘要

The effect of freeze-thawing on the size of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (EggPC) vesicles in the presence of 0-40 mol% distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine-polyethylene glycol 2000 (DSPE-PEG) was studied. Mean diameters of the vesicles fell into a range of 80-150 nm after 10 times freeze-thawing in spite of their original size. In the process of freeze-thawing, two opponent events, one is fission and the other is fusion, occurred at the same time. DSPE-PEG accelerated the fusion event.