Advantages and Limitations of Current Imaging Techniques for Characterizing Liposome Morphology

Overview

Journal Front Pharmacol

Date 2018 Feb 23

PMID 29467660

Citations 47

Authors

Annie-Louise Robson

Paul C Dastoor

Jamie Flynn

William Palmer

Antony Martin

Doug W Smith

Ameha Woldu

Susan Hua

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

There are currently a number of imaging techniques available for evaluating the morphology of liposomes and other nanoparticles, with each having its own advantages and disadvantages that should be considered when interpreting data. Controlling and validating the morphology of nanoparticles is of key importance for the effective clinical translation of liposomal formulations. There are a number of physical characteristics of liposomes that determine their behavior, including size, surface characteristics, lamellarity, and homogeneity. Despite the great importance of the morphology of nanoparticles, it is generally not well-characterized and is difficult to control. Appropriate imaging techniques provide important details regarding the morphological characteristics of nanoparticles, and should be used in conjunction with other methods to assess physicochemical parameters. In this review, we will discuss the advantages and limitations of available imaging techniques used to evaluate liposomal formulations.

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