FORMATION AND PROPERTIES OF A NETWORK GEL FORMED FROM MIXTURES OF DIACETYLENIC AND SHORT-CHAIN PHOSPHOCHOLINE LIPIDS

A polymerizable gel superaggreagate has been formed from low concentra tions (6 mM) of phospholipid mixtures of polymerizable tricosa-10,12-d iynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1,2-bis(dinonoyl)-sn-glycero-3 -phosphocholine. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the superaggregate structure consisted of a network of twisted, braide d fibers and that the pare size of the gel ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 pm T EM of gel plated with Ni revealed that the width of the fibers was 280 A. Optical microscopy demonstrated that the onset of the gel phase oc curred at mole fraction 0.43 DNPC in the absence of salt and 0.36 in t he presence of 0.25 M NaCl. Polymerization did not affect the morpholo gy of the gel but did increase its temperature stability. (C) 1994 Aca demic Press Inc.