| AVS 65th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Biomaterial Interfaces Division | Tuesday Sessions |
| Session BI-TuP |
| Session: | Biomaterial Interfaces Division Poster Session |
| Presenter: | Nareh Movsesian, University of Southern California |
| Authors: | N.M. Movsesian, University of Southern California M.T. Matthew Tittensor, University of Southern California G. Dianat, University of Southern California N.M. Malmstadt, University of Southern California M. Gupta, University of Southern California |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are cell-sized biomimetic model membranes useful for examining membrane properties and building artificial cells. Hydrogel-assisted rehydration is an emerging technique to form GUVs under physiological conditions at high yields circumventing the shortcomings of traditional techniques such as electroformation and gentle hydration. Herein we present porous negatively charged poly (methacrylic acid-co-ethylene glycol diacrylate) (xPMAA)membranes fabricated using an unconventional solvent-free initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) technique and utilized as hydrogel substrates for vesicle formation. Physicochemical properties of the hydrogel substrates such as morphology and crosslinking density are controlled by iCVD process parameters. Zwitterionic and charged lipid mixtures are applied on hydrogel membranes as thin lipid films and subsequently swollen in an aqueous hydration buffer. Here we show that vesicle yield and size are controlled by the morphology, the density, and the charge of the polymer. Our findings show that high hydrogel porosity and reduced electrostatic interactions between the polymer and the lipid are preferred for vesicle formation.