The discovery of liposomes has been very important in the development of new drugs which can treat cancer or HIV. This is because these structures have the natural ability to fuse to the outside of our body cells and deliver drugs into them.
A liposome is a a small bubble, called a vesicle. Their outer membrane is made from the same material as every cell membrane in our body. This material is called a phospholipid, which contains fatty acids (fats) and a phosphate group. This is because these vesicles are made out of disrupted cell membranes, ones which have been damaged for example. Inside the membrane, which is waterproof, they can often contain a solution containing water and other nutrients.
The naming of this structure derives from two Greek words. One is 'lipo' meaning fat or fat tissue. The other is 'soma', which has the meaning of 'body'. This is because a liposome is made primarily from fats.
A haematologist with the name of Dr Alec D Bangham first discovered these structures. The discovery was made in 1961 by Bangham and his colleague, who were testing a new electron microscope. They did this by dyeing phospholipids in a dark liquid which did not allow light to pass through it. They then discovered the structure and wrote a Biological paper about them, published in 1964.
Because the membrane of these vesicles are made of the same material as our cell membranes, a liposome is able to fuse to cells in our bodies and release the contents of its watery solution into the cells of the body.
Because of this, many scientists saw the potential of this new discovery in medicine. This is because up until then, many drugs were unable to pass through the membrane of a body cell, and so could not treat a diseased cell. On the other hand, if a drug was manufactured so it was trapped inside these vesicles, they would be injected into the cell as the vesicles fused with the diseased cell membrane.
Once developed, many scientists saw the potential of the liposome to treat cancer. This is because a tumour often has gaps in between its cells, causing them to be 'leaky'. It is this which enables small molecules such as these to pass into them and fuse with cancer cells, releasing a chemical which stops the cells dividing and growing (chemotherapy). The reason this sort of treatment affects cancer cells more is because normal, healthy tissue is much more tightly packed.
However, the manufacture of these vesicles containing drugs can be expensive and time consuming. The properties of the drug must be considered, to make sure they are compatible with that of the outer membrane of the 'bubble'. The size of the 'bubble' is important, as it may have to reach some areas which only small molecules can enter to be effective.
It cannot be denied that since their discovery in 1961, liposomes have become more and more linked with medical research. Due to the recent research into their uses involving cancer and HIV treatment, it could be said that further research into these structures is becoming increasingly important, as it may not be the last we have heard of them.
A liposome is a a small bubble, called a vesicle. Their outer membrane is made from the same material as every cell membrane in our body. This material is called a phospholipid, which contains fatty acids (fats) and a phosphate group. This is because these vesicles are made out of disrupted cell membranes, ones which have been damaged for example. Inside the membrane, which is waterproof, they can often contain a solution containing water and other nutrients.
The naming of this structure derives from two Greek words. One is 'lipo' meaning fat or fat tissue. The other is 'soma', which has the meaning of 'body'. This is because a liposome is made primarily from fats.
A haematologist with the name of Dr Alec D Bangham first discovered these structures. The discovery was made in 1961 by Bangham and his colleague, who were testing a new electron microscope. They did this by dyeing phospholipids in a dark liquid which did not allow light to pass through it. They then discovered the structure and wrote a Biological paper about them, published in 1964.
Because the membrane of these vesicles are made of the same material as our cell membranes, a liposome is able to fuse to cells in our bodies and release the contents of its watery solution into the cells of the body.
Because of this, many scientists saw the potential of this new discovery in medicine. This is because up until then, many drugs were unable to pass through the membrane of a body cell, and so could not treat a diseased cell. On the other hand, if a drug was manufactured so it was trapped inside these vesicles, they would be injected into the cell as the vesicles fused with the diseased cell membrane.
Once developed, many scientists saw the potential of the liposome to treat cancer. This is because a tumour often has gaps in between its cells, causing them to be 'leaky'. It is this which enables small molecules such as these to pass into them and fuse with cancer cells, releasing a chemical which stops the cells dividing and growing (chemotherapy). The reason this sort of treatment affects cancer cells more is because normal, healthy tissue is much more tightly packed.
However, the manufacture of these vesicles containing drugs can be expensive and time consuming. The properties of the drug must be considered, to make sure they are compatible with that of the outer membrane of the 'bubble'. The size of the 'bubble' is important, as it may have to reach some areas which only small molecules can enter to be effective.
It cannot be denied that since their discovery in 1961, liposomes have become more and more linked with medical research. Due to the recent research into their uses involving cancer and HIV treatment, it could be said that further research into these structures is becoming increasingly important, as it may not be the last we have heard of them.
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