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Published December 1987 | Submitted
Journal Article Open

Macromolecular Switches for Bilayer Membranes

Abstract

Controlled polyelectrolyte adsorption provides a powerful tool for use in the design of thin molecular films. The adsorption of polyelectrolyte chains would be expected to cause large changes in the delicate balance of forces that determines the structural and functional properties of organized assemblies, including monolayer, bilayer and multilayer films. But in addition, polyelectrolyte adsorption is exceedingly sensitive to environment, e.g., to pH, temperature and ionic strength. Controlled adsorption can therefore serve as a molecular switching mechanism, rendering film properties sensitive to selected chemical and physical stimuli. We have used this approach to effect molecular switching in mixtures of poly(2-ethyl acrylic acid) with bilayer vesicles of natural or synthetic phosphatidylcholines. In particular, we have prepared phosphatidylcholine vesicles that release their contents rapidly and quantitatively in response to changes in pH, temperature or glucose concentration. The design and preparation of responsive bilayer membranes, and the kinetics and mechanisms of the associated molecular switching processes, are discussed herein.

Additional Information

© 1987 Elsevier. This paper describes the work of Doreen Takigawa, Kenji Seki, Keith Borden, Brian Devlin and Mizuo Maeda. Each has made important, independent contributions to its success. This research program has been supported by grants from the 3M Co., from the NSF Materials Research Laboratory of the University of Massachusetts, and from the Presidential Young Investigator Awards Program of the National Science Foundation. Paper presented at the Third International Symposium on Recent Advances in Drug Delivery Systems, February 24–27,1987, Salt Lake City, UT, U.S.A.

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