INTERACTIONS BETWEEN LIPOSOMES AND CHITOSAN

Negative and neutral liposomes were coated with the cationic polysaccharide chitosan, and the interaction was studied by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), electrophoretic light scattering (ELS) and cryo-electron microscopy. As shown with ELS, both types of liposomes had a reproducible change in zeta potential after coating. Electron micrographs showed no visible change in individual liposomes, but a limited degree of aggregation for neutral and a more extensive formation of liposomal clusters for negative liposomes. After centrifugation and washing, the liposomes were still coated and appeared unchanged on the electron micrographs.