Functionalized Liposomes Fabrication and Characterization with Erythrocruorin for a Potential Application as a Red Blood Cells Substitute

Abstract

Aims: Erythrocruorin is considered for a potential application as a Red Blood Cells Substitute. Background: Nanostructured materials such as liposomes and polymeric materials have offered new alternatives that allow the design of systems as potential substitutes for red blood cells. Objective: Functionalized liposomes fabrication and characterization. Methods: The liposomes manufactured with egg yolk lecithin prepared by the extrusion method were functionalized with EfEc and stabilized with polyethylene glycol (PEG) by an absorption method. Results: The nanoplatform has a hydrodynamic diameter of 452.4 ± 24.56 nm; this size provides the ability to avoid problems such as system extravasation, also presents stability (ζ-potential = -30. 06 ± 0.42 mV) and SEM micrographs show a semi-spherical morphology. Also, EfEc showed a peak of fluorescence emission at 449 nm, which allowed us to observe the protein's presence on the surface of the liposomes employing CLSM. Conclusion: In this work, we report the fabrication and characterization of liposomes with EfEc and PEG on their surface. The nanoplatform exhibits physical-chemical characteristics that confer a potential application as a substitute for red blood cells.