Liposome

Definition A liposome is a spherical vesicle composed of a bilayer membrane. In biology, this specifically refers to a membrane composed of a phospholipid and cholesterol bilayer (see on the right). Liposomes can be composed of naturally-derived phospholipids with mixed lipid chains (like egg phosphatidylethanolamine), or of pure surfactant components like DOPE (dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine). Liposomes, usually but not by definition, contain a core of aqueous solution; lipid spheres that contain no aqueous material are called micelles, however, reverse micelles [1] can be made to encompass an aqueous environment.
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Noun
1. an artificially made microscopic vesicle into which nucleic acids can be packaged; used in molecular biology as a transducing vector
(hypernym) vesicle, cyst

A microscopic fatty globule designed to carry a therapeutic substance, especially to specific bodily tissues. The liposomal outer membrane and the outer membrane of the target cell can fuse, whereupon the liposome empties into the cell. Liposomal encapsulation of a therapeutic substance enables increasing the accumulation of the active ingredient in target tissues and decreasing the spread of the active ingredient to nontarget tissues, where it might do harm.

Small spheres of phospholipid bilayers (just like cell membranes). They are used for gene transfer into cells. The DNA to be transferred is attached to them. The DNA-liposome complex fuses with the cell membrane to enter the cell and releases the DNA into the cell.

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