PREPARATION OF LIPOSOMES THAT MIMIC THE MEMBRANE OF ENDOPLASMIC-RETICULUM OF RAT HEPATOCYTES

To examine the interaction between biomembranes and membrane-bound pro teins, large unilamellar liposomes have been required. In the present study, we prepared liposomes from a mixture of phospholipids having a phospholipid composition similar to that in the endoplasmic reticula ( microsomes) of rat hepatocytes by eight different methods. The resulti ng liposomes were examined by a combination of the freeze-fracture-rep lica procedure with biochemical methods, The freeze-thawing method of Pick (1981) gave the best results; large unilamellar liposomes that mi mic the membrane of endoplasmic reticulum were obtained, Liposomes mad e by this method are thus suitable for analysis of the interaction bet ween the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and membrane-bound proteins.