A shea review on fluorinated liposomes made from highly fluorinated double-
chain phospho- or glyco-lipids as well as fluorinated lipoplexes, e.g. comp
lexes made from highly fluorinated polycationic lipospermines and a gene, i
s presented. These systems display a number of interesting physico-chemical
and biological properties which make them very attractive alternatives as
drug or gene carrying, targeting and delivering devices. The properties of
the fluorinated liposomes that are discussed include liposome formation and
shelf-stability, membrane structure, thermotropism and permeability, encap
sulation, release and stability in various media (serum, detergents), bioav
ailability and biodistribution, anti-MN activity. The properties of the flu
orinated lipoplexes that are reported include lipoplex formation, stability
, in vitro cell transfection in the presence of serum or of bile. (C) 2001
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