posted on 2012-08-08, 00:00authored byJob Boekhoven, Mathijs Koot, Tim A. Wezendonk, Rienk Eelkema, Jan H. van Esch
Self-assembly of three molecular components results in
a delivery
platform, the release rate of which can be tuned after its production.
A fluorophore-conjugated gelator can be hydrolyzed by an enzyme, resulting
in the release of a fluorescent small molecule. To allow the release
to be tunable, the enzyme is entrapped in liposomes and can be liberated
by heating the system for a short period. Crucially, the heating time
determines the amount of enzyme liberated; with that, the release
rate can be tuned by the time of heating.