中国物理B ›› 2022, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (9): 98701-098701.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/ac4a69

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Regulation of the intermittent release of giant unilamellar vesicles under osmotic pressure

Qi Zhou(周琪)1,2, Ping Wang(王平)1,2, Bei-Bei Ma(马贝贝)1,2, Zhong-Ying Jiang(蒋中英)1,2,3,†, and Tao Zhu(朱涛)3,‡   

  1. 1 Key Laboratory of Micro-Nano Electronic Sensing Technology and Bionic Devices, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, China;
    2 School of Network Security and Information Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, China;
    3 National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
  • 收稿日期:2021-11-15 修回日期:2022-01-07 接受日期:2022-01-12 出版日期:2022-08-19 发布日期:2022-08-24
  • 通讯作者: Zhong-Ying Jiang, Tao Zhu E-mail:jiangzhying@163.com;zhuttd@163.com
  • 基金资助:
    Project supported by the Joint Funds of Xinjiang Natural Science Foundation, China (Grant No. 2022D01C336), School Level Key Projects of Yili Normal University (Grant No. 2020YSZD003), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11904167 and 22163011), and the Postgraduate Scientific Research Innovation Project of Xinjiang, China (Grant No. XJ2022G230).

Regulation of the intermittent release of giant unilamellar vesicles under osmotic pressure

Qi Zhou(周琪)1,2, Ping Wang(王平)1,2, Bei-Bei Ma(马贝贝)1,2, Zhong-Ying Jiang(蒋中英)1,2,3,†, and Tao Zhu(朱涛)3,‡   

  1. 1 Key Laboratory of Micro-Nano Electronic Sensing Technology and Bionic Devices, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, China;
    2 School of Network Security and Information Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, China;
    3 National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
  • Received:2021-11-15 Revised:2022-01-07 Accepted:2022-01-12 Online:2022-08-19 Published:2022-08-24
  • Contact: Zhong-Ying Jiang, Tao Zhu E-mail:jiangzhying@163.com;zhuttd@163.com
  • Supported by:
    Project supported by the Joint Funds of Xinjiang Natural Science Foundation, China (Grant No. 2022D01C336), School Level Key Projects of Yili Normal University (Grant No. 2020YSZD003), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11904167 and 22163011), and the Postgraduate Scientific Research Innovation Project of Xinjiang, China (Grant No. XJ2022G230).

摘要: Osmotic pressure can break the fluid balance between intracellular and extracellular solutions. In hypo-osmotic solution, water molecules, which transfer into the cell and burst, are driven by the concentration difference of solute across the semi-permeable membrane. The complicated dynamic processes of intermittent bursts have been previously observed. However, the underlying physical mechanism has yet to be thoroughly explored and analyzed. Here, the intermittent release of inclusion in giant unilamellar vesicles was investigated quantitatively, applying the combination of experimental and theoretical methods in the hypo-osmotic medium. Experimentally, we adopted a highly sensitive electron multiplying charge-coupled device to acquire intermittent dynamic images. Notably, the component of the vesicle phospholipids affected the stretch velocity, and the prepared solution of vesicles adjusted the release time. Theoretically, we chose equations and numerical simulations to quantify the dynamic process in phases and explored the influences of physical parameters such as bilayer permeability and solution viscosity on the process. It was concluded that the time taken to achieve the balance of giant unilamellar vesicles was highly dependent on the molecular structure of the lipid. The pore lifetime was strongly related to the internal solution environment of giant unilamellar vesicles. The vesicles prepared in viscous solution were able to visualize long-lived pores. Furthermore, the line tension was measured quantitatively by the release velocity of inclusion, which was of the same order of magnitude as the theoretical simulation. In all, the experimental values well matched the theoretical values. Our investigation clarified the physical regulatory mechanism of intermittent pore formation and inclusion release, which provides an important reference for the development of novel technologies such as gene therapy based on transmembrane transport as well as controlled drug delivery based on liposomes.

关键词: osmotic pressure difference, membrane tension, pore, line tension

Abstract: Osmotic pressure can break the fluid balance between intracellular and extracellular solutions. In hypo-osmotic solution, water molecules, which transfer into the cell and burst, are driven by the concentration difference of solute across the semi-permeable membrane. The complicated dynamic processes of intermittent bursts have been previously observed. However, the underlying physical mechanism has yet to be thoroughly explored and analyzed. Here, the intermittent release of inclusion in giant unilamellar vesicles was investigated quantitatively, applying the combination of experimental and theoretical methods in the hypo-osmotic medium. Experimentally, we adopted a highly sensitive electron multiplying charge-coupled device to acquire intermittent dynamic images. Notably, the component of the vesicle phospholipids affected the stretch velocity, and the prepared solution of vesicles adjusted the release time. Theoretically, we chose equations and numerical simulations to quantify the dynamic process in phases and explored the influences of physical parameters such as bilayer permeability and solution viscosity on the process. It was concluded that the time taken to achieve the balance of giant unilamellar vesicles was highly dependent on the molecular structure of the lipid. The pore lifetime was strongly related to the internal solution environment of giant unilamellar vesicles. The vesicles prepared in viscous solution were able to visualize long-lived pores. Furthermore, the line tension was measured quantitatively by the release velocity of inclusion, which was of the same order of magnitude as the theoretical simulation. In all, the experimental values well matched the theoretical values. Our investigation clarified the physical regulatory mechanism of intermittent pore formation and inclusion release, which provides an important reference for the development of novel technologies such as gene therapy based on transmembrane transport as well as controlled drug delivery based on liposomes.

Key words: osmotic pressure difference, membrane tension, pore, line tension

中图分类号:  (Membranes, bilayers, and vesicles)

  • 87.16.D-
87.16.dj (Dynamics and fluctuations) 87.16.dp (Transport, including channels, pores, and lateral diffusion)