PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LIPID-MEMBRANES COATED ON POLYAMIDE MICROCAPSULES

The surface of poly (1,4-piperazinediylterephthaloyl) microcapsules was coated with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC). It was found that the amount of adsorbable DMPC per unit surface area of microcapsules was constant. The adsorbed DMPC formed a bilayer membrane structure, which was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and fluorescence depolarization of 16-anthroyloxypalmitic acid. The DMPC-coated microcapsules were further characterized by investigating the behavior of synthetic glycopeptides embedded in the lipid bilayer membrane on the microcapsules. It was revealed that the interaction of these glycopeptides with lectin on the surface of the microcapsules was facilitated by the lipid coating on the microcapsules, and a high degree of lectin crosslinking of the glycopeptides was observed. Although the surface of lipid-coated microcapsules was found to be composed of both lipid bilayer membranes and bare polyamide regions, it is apparent that coating of polyamide microcapsules with lipid bilayer membranes provides a favorable environment for bioactive compounds without impairing their functions. © 1990.