ohutkalvohydratointi

Ohutkalvohydratointi, known in English as thin-film hydration, is a laboratory technique used to prepare unilamellar or multilamellar lipid vesicles, commonly referred to as liposomes. This method is widely employed in the fields of drug delivery, biochemistry, and materials science. The process begins with dissolving lipids, such as phospholipids, in an organic solvent. This lipid solution is then spread as a thin film, typically on the inner surface of a round-bottom flask. The solvent is removed by evaporation under reduced pressure, usually using a rotary evaporator, leaving a dry lipid film.

Following the formation of the thin film, an aqueous solution, often containing the substance to be encapsulated, is added to the flask. The flask is then agitated, either by vortexing or shaking, which rehydrates the lipid film and causes the lipids to self-assemble into spherical structures. These structures, the liposomes, encapsulate the aqueous phase within their lipid bilayers. The size and lamellarity (number of lipid bilayers) of the resulting liposomes can be controlled by modifying the hydration and subsequent processing steps, such as sonication or extrusion. Ohutkalvohydratointi is a fundamental and versatile method for liposome preparation, allowing for the formation of vesicles with controlled properties for various applications.