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. 2009:465:129-41.
doi: 10.1016/S0076-6879(09)65007-2.

Microfluidic methods for production of liposomes

Bo Yu  1 , Robert J Lee, L James Lee
Affiliations

Microfluidic methods for production of liposomes

Bo Yu et al. Methods Enzymol. 2009.

Abstract

Liposomes are composed of lipid bilayer membranes that encapsulate an aqueous volume. A major challenge in the development of liposomes for drug delivery is the control of size and size distribution. In conventional methods, lipids are spontaneously assembled into heterogeneous bilayers in a bulk phase. Additional processing by extrusion or sonication is required to obtain liposomes with small size and a narrow size distribution. Microfluidics is an emerging technology for liposome synthesis, because it enables precise control of the lipid hydration process. Here, we describe a number of microfluidic methods that have been reported to produce micro/nanosized liposomes with narrower size distribution in a reproducible manner, focusing on the use of continuous-flow microfluidics. The advantages of liposome formation using the microfluidic approach over traditional bulk-mixing approaches are discussed.

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Figures

Figure 7.1
Figure 7.1
Schematic diagram of microfluidic channels for liposome formation: (A) three-inlet design; (B) five-inlet design.
Figure 7.2
Figure 7.2
Photographs of five-inlet MHF methods to prepare liposomes containing oligonucleotides.
Figure 7.3
Figure 7.3
Photographs of a facile microfluidic device for production of liposomes.
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