engleski

Preparation and properties of functionalized vesicles as protocell models

The aim of the research of the working group WG-0006/03 is to prepare functionalized vesicles. Our research was focused on the biophysical properties of the vesicles as boundary structures that were possibly relevant in protocellular structures. Lipid vesicles as models of protocells should have at least similar qualitative characteristics as today cells, permitting the diffusion of small molecules into the vesicle and keeping macromolecules trapped inside the vesicle compartments. Furthermore, protocells should form spontaneously and should have fission and fusion properties in order to allow a dynamic evolution of the structure.1, 2, 3 In our research different conditions were studied which could be responsible for the transformation of simple molecular aggregates into vesicles and further to more complex structures which may have led to the formation of protocells. For this purpose we investigated vesicles formed from simple amphiphiles, like fatty acids/soap mixtures4, as well as phospholipid vesicles of various composition with respect to: permeability changes (for water5 and small molecules6) in vesicles induced by various conditions which could influence the size, shape and domain structure of the vesicles. In the lecture the results and plans for future collaborations will be presented.

lipid vesicles; permeability; protocell

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