Self-exploding lipid-coated microgels

Self-exploding microparticles show potential for advanced delivery of certain therapeutics. This study evaluates (1) whether degrading biodegradable dextran hydroxyethyl methacrylate (dex-HEMA) microgels can be coated by a lipid membrane and (2) whether the surrounding membrane can be ruptured by the increasing swelling pressure of the degrading microgel. We found that adsorption of charged liposomes to oppositely charged dex-HEMA microgels provides efficient coating of the microgels, whereby microparticles with a "core-shell" structure were clearly obtained. Especially, we could confirm experimentally that the swelling pressure increase of degrading dex-HEMA microgels can destroy the lipid membrane surrounding the microgels.