Analysis of micelles by Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) (CAT#: STEM-MB-0730-WXH)

Introduction

Micelles are lipid molecules that arrange themselves in a spherical form in aqueous solutions. The formation of a micelle is a response to the amphipathic nature of fatty acids, meaning that they contain both hydrophilic regions (polar head groups) as well as hydrophobic regions (the long hydrophobic chain).<br />Micelles have been widely used as drug delivery carriers for a series of different molecules, including low molecular mass hydrophobic drugs, proteins, and genes.<br />Compared with other drug delivery strategies, micelles have two unmatched advantages. The first is their relatively small size. The second advantage of micelles is their feasibility of large-scale manufacture. A micelle is the simplest assembled entity, with well-defined molecular structures and assembly behaviors.