6 research outputs found
Formation of Well-Defined, Functional Nanotubes via Osmotically Induced Shape Transformation of Biodegradable Polymersomes
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161997.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access
Stomatocyte in Stomatocyte: A New Shape of Polymersome Induced via Chemical-Addition Methodology
Stomatocyte in Stomatocyte: A New Shape of Polymersome Induced via Chemical-Addition Methodology
Accurate control
of the shape transformation of polymersome is
an important and interesting challenge that spans across disciplines
such as nanomedicine and nanomachine. Here, we report a fast and facile
methodology of shape manipulation of polymersome via out-of-equilibrium
polymer self-assembly and shape change by chemical addition of additives.
Due to its increased permeability, hydrophilicity, and fusogenic properties,
poly(ethylene oxide) was selected as the additive for bringing the
system out of equilibrium via fast addition into the polymersome organic
solution. A new shape, stomatocyte-in-stomatocyte (sto-in-sto), is
obtained for the first time. Moreover, fast shape transformation within
less than 1 min to other relevant shapes such as stomatocyte and large
compound vesicles was also obtained and accurately controlled in a
uniform dispersion. This methodology is demonstrated as a general
strategy with which to push the assembly further out of equilibrium
to generate unusual nanostructures in a controllable and fast manner
Probing morphological changes in polymersomes with magnetic birefringence
Contains fulltext :
128419.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access
Formation of Well-Defined, Functional Nanotubes via Osmotically Induced Shape Transformation of Biodegradable Polymersomes
Polymersomes are
robust, versatile nanostructures that can be tailored
by varying the chemical structure of copolymeric building blocks,
giving control over their size, shape, surface chemistry, and membrane
permeability. In particular, the generation of nonspherical nanostructures
has attracted much attention recently, as it has been demonstrated
that shape affects function in a biomedical context. Until now, nonspherical
polymersomes have only been constructed from nondegradable building
blocks, hampering a detailed investigation of shape effects in nanomedicine
for this category of nanostructures. Herein, we demonstrate the spontaneous
elongation of spherical polymersomes comprising the biodegradable
copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-<i>b</i>-poly(d,l-lactide) into well-defined nanotubes. The size of these
tubes is osmotically controlled using dialysis, which makes them very
easy to prepare. To confirm their utility for biomedical applications,
we have demonstrated that, alongside drug loading, functional proteins
can be tethered to the surface utilizing bio-orthogonal “click”
chemistry. In this way the present findings establish a novel platform
for the creation of biocompatible, high-aspect ratio nanoparticles
for biomedical research