Self-assembled films of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces. A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects Physicochemical and engineering aspects, 1999-09, Vol.155 (1), p.69-84
• Main Authors: Lawrie, G.A, Barnes, G.T, Gentle, I.R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Interfacial films; Liposomes; Monolayers; Phosphatidylcholines; Self-assembly
• ISSN: 0927-7757; 1873-4359
• DOI: 10.1016/S0927-7757(98)00551-2

Self-assembled films of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) have been generated at the air/water interface and examined to identify structural characteristics. Powdered lipid, small unilamellar vesicles and multilamellar vesicles have been used as precursors to form interfacial films. Lipids were transported to the air/water interface either from the subphase dispersion or via a bridge from a remote reservoir. The isolation of the self-assembled film from the source of lipid molecules in the latter method has enabled studies of compressional behaviour and neutron reflectivity to be carried out directly at the interface, and for films to be deposited for atomic force microscopy. It was found that the structure of a DMPC self-assembled film was highly dependent on the lipid form from which the film was derived and also on the conditions of spreading. Self-assembled films derived from powder and multilamellar liposomes had bilayer structures associated with them. In contrast, the films formed from unilamellar vesicles behaved as isolated monolayers. The structure of the film formed by self-assembly from the powder form of the lipid was related to the surface pressure to which the film had been allowed to spread before transfer from the reservoir was interrupted.