Main description:

Giant vesicles are being widely used as a model membrane system, both for basic biological systems and for their promising applications in the development of smart materials, in particular for drug delivery, as well as use in driving new technologies for the cosmetics industry. This practical manual gives the reader a toolbox for starting work with giant vesicles, including expert's tips on proper preparation methods, measurement, and characterization methods. The contents build from a simple model to use of vesicles as advanced membrane and cell system models. It also includes fundamentals for understanding vesicle structure, properties and behavior.

Contents:

Introduction. The Making of Giant Vesicles. Giant vesicles theoretically and in silico. GUV-based techniques and what one can learn from them. GUVs as membrane interaction platforms. GUVs as complex membrane containers. Appendixes