Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Liposomes

Liposomes are microscopic, spherical vesicles composed of one or more concentric phospholipid bilayers enclosing an aqueous core, formed spontaneously when amphipathic phospholipids self-assemble in water. Their bilayer structure mimics biological membranes and allows them to carry both hydrophilic agents within the…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 6 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 49× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2835-513X 🗓 Reviewed October 2026

Overview

Liposomes are microscopic, spherical vesicles composed of one or more concentric phospholipid bilayers enclosing an aqueous core, formed spontaneously when amphipathic phospholipids self-assemble in water. Their bilayer structure mimics biological membranes and allows them to carry both hydrophilic agents within the aqueous interior and lipophilic agents within the lipid bilayer, making them versatile vehicles for drugs, nucleic acids, vaccines, contrast agents, and cosmetic actives. Liposomes are classified by lamellarity and size into unilamellar and multilamellar forms and can be tailored in composition, charge, and rigidity to control stability, drug retention, and release behavior. A central goal is improved and targeted delivery: surface modification with polyethylene glycol produces stealth, PEGylated liposomes that resist opsonization and clearance by the mononuclear phagocyte system, prolonging circulation time, while ligand attachment enables active targeting and stimulus-responsive designs, such as pH-sensitive systems, that release their payload under specific conditions including those found in tumors. By encapsulating therapeutics, liposomes can enhance solubility, protect labile molecules from degradation, reduce systemic toxicity, and increase accumulation at sites of disease. Their physical and thermal stability, lamellar organization, and responsiveness to formulation parameters are key determinants of performance and are actively engineered, including in polymerizable and photoactive variants. As biocompatible and biodegradable carriers, liposomes remain a foundational platform in nanomedicine and pharmaceutical drug delivery.

Research published in this journal

6 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 6 articles above have been cited 49 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Liposomes, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in International Journal of Lipids (ISSN 2835-513X).

Journal editorial board
Hiroshi Yoshida · Japan Anu Puri · United States Chih-Sheng Chu · Taiwan

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.