A Method for Heat-Stimulated Compression of Poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) Hydrogels Inside Single Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
Journal article, 2010

In this letter, a hydrogel compression method for the facile generation of high polymer concentration within single giant unilamelar vesicles (GUV) is presented. A GUV with an internalized poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) solution is heated above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) until compartmentalization by collapsed hydrogel microaggregates occurs. Subsequently, the volume of the vesicle is decreased by reducing the area of the enclosing membrane. An increase in concentration by a factor of up to 11 is reached while the membrane remains intact, bringing the model system close to the living cell situation with its high concentration of proteins in the cytoplasm. The polymer-filled vesicles are also in a suitable density range to significantly improve the flow control performance of hydrogel valves embedded in soft matter nanofluidic devices.

Author

L. Osinkina

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering

Martin Markström

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Life Sciences

Owe Orwar

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Physical Chemistry

Aldo Jesorka

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Physical Chemistry

Langmuir

07437463 (ISSN) 15205827 (eISSN)

Vol. 26 1 1-4

Subject Categories

Physical Chemistry

Chemical Sciences

DOI

10.1021/la9041524

More information

Latest update

7/22/2019