PREPARATION OF CONTROLLED SIZE INORGANIC PARTICLES FOR USE IN SEPARATIONS, AS MAGNETIC MOLECULAR SWITCHES, AND AS INORGANIC LIPOSOMES FOR MEDICAL APPLICATIONS

摘要

Inorganic oxides of substantially uniform particle size distribution are prepared by contacting aqueous solutions of an inorganic salt and an inorganic base across a porous membrane (14) wherein the membrane contains a plurality of pores which allows for precipitation of a substantially mono-dispersed size inorganic oxide particles on one side of the membrane and precipitation of a salt of the corresponding base on a second side of the membrane (Fig. 1). The particles so prepared can be coated with an organo-metallic polymer having attached thereto an organic functionality to which a variety of organic and/or biological molecules can be coupled. Particles so coupled may be used for in vitro or in vivo systems involving separations steps or the directed movement of coupled molecules to particular sites, including immunological assays, other biological assays, biochemical or enzymatic reactions, affinity chromatographic purification, cell sorting and diagnostic and therapeutic uses. In a further embodiment, described herein are liposome compositions which comprise the substantially uniform size inorganic core coated with an amphipathic organic compound and further coated with a second amphipathic vesicle forming lipid (Fig. 2). Also disclosed are novel phenyl lipid compounds which serve as the vesicle forming lipid (Fig. 3). When the magnetic particles are electromagnetic wave-absorbing surface modified particles (Fig. 4), such particles provide for the preparation of liposome compositions which offer a method for the treatment of cancer, as well as infectious diseases.