Preparation of J-aggregate liposome dispersions and their chromic transformation

Abstract

We report the preparation of aqueous liposome dispersions of J-aggregates formed by the amphiphilic merocyanine dye (MD). A series of Iiposome- forminglipids were dispersed together with MD J-aggregates at different molar ratios of MD to lipid. The MD J-aggregate dispersions prepared with 1,2-dimyristoylsra-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) at the MD to DMPC ratio of 0.16 exhibit good dispersibility; that is, they can be readily redispersed without any fiocculation even after their precipitation. By use of different counterions for the MD molecules, two types of J-aggregate dispersions, one that exhibits an absorption band (J-band) at 635 run (type I) and the other at 600 nm (type II), were ob..