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Characterize the size of vesicles by Dynamic light scattering (DLS) (CAT#: STEM-MB-0557-WXH)

Introduction

A vesicle is a structure within or outside a cell, consisting of liquid or cytoplasm enclosed by a lipid bilayer. Vesicles form naturally during the processes of secretion (exocytosis), uptake (endocytosis) and transport of materials within the plasma membrane. Alternatively, they may be prepared artificially, in which case they are called liposomes (not to be confused with lysosomes). If there is only one phospholipid bilayer, the vesicles are called unilamellar liposomes; otherwise they are called multilamellar liposomes. The membrane enclosing the vesicle is also a lamellar phase, similar to that of the plasma membrane, and intracellular vesicles can fuse with the plasma membrane to release their contents outside the cell. Vesicles can also fuse with other organelles within the cell. A vesicle released from the cell is known as an extracellular vesicle.




Principle

Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) is an established and precise measurement technique for characterizing particle sizes in suspensions and emulsions. It is based on the Brownian motion of particles - this states that smaller particles move faster, while larger ones move slower in a liquid. The light scattered by particles contains information on the diffusion speed and thus on the size distribution.
The Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) technique measures motion optically by recording the scattered light signal at a fixed angle. The particles are illuminated with a monochromatic, coherent light source (laser) and the light scattered by the particles is recorded.

Applications

DLS is used to characterize the size of various particles including proteins, polymers, micelles, Protein cages and virus-like particles, vesicles, carbohydrates, nanoparticles, biological cells, and gels.

Procedure

1. Sample preparation
2. Measurement by DLS instrument
3. Data analysis

Materials

• Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) instruments (Photon Correlation Spectroscopy or Quasi-Elastic Light Scattering instruments)
• Dynamic Light Scattering Detector