Zhu, TingSzostak, Jack2011-03-042009Zhu, Ting F., and Jack W. Szostak. 2009. Preparation of large monodisperse vesicles. PLoS ONE 4(4).1932-6203http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:4737685Preparation of monodisperse vesicles is important both for research purposes and for practical applications. While the extrusion of vesicles through small pores (~100 nm in diameter) results in relatively uniform populations of vesicles, extrusion to larger sizes results in very heterogeneous populations of vesicles. Here we report a simple method for preparing large monodisperse multilamellar vesicles through a combination of extrusion and large-pore dialysis. For example, extrusion of polydisperse vesicles through 5-µm-diameter pores eliminates vesicles larger than 5 µm in diameter. Dialysis of extruded vesicles against 3-µm-pore-size polycarbonate membranes eliminates vesicles smaller than 3 µm in diameter, leaving behind a population of monodisperse vesicles with a mean diameter of ~4 µm. The simplicity of this method makes it an effective tool for laboratory vesicle preparation with potential applications in preparing large monodisperse liposomes for drug delivery.en-USbiophysicsbiotechnologychemical biologyJournal Article2011-03-0410.1371/journal.pone.0005009