Model Membrane Systems and Interaction Studies

Membranes are fundamental constituent of the living cells. Membranes are mainly built of lipids. Unilamellar lipid vesicles (UV) for their structural peculiarity are the best model for cellular membranes. Lipids and in general membrane components define the structure-dynamic-function properties of the bilayer matrix. By designing vesicles of different dimension and composition we study structural and dynamical properties of the bilayer and the role that some specific components can play in amyloid protein-membrane interaction. Large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) are used also as mimetic exosomes and to investigate possible strategies for exosomes drug loading model. Moreover LUV are model membrane to study exosomes-membrane interaction mechanisms, depending on membrane matrix component, functionalization and cargo.

Members:
Rita Carrotta (Principal investigator)
Fabio Librizzi
Maria Rosalia Mangione
Mauro Manno
Samuele Raccosta
Silvia Vilasi