Human Erythrocyte-Like Transformation of Synthetic Polymer Vesicles
Abstract This paper describes that synthetic polymer vesicles undergo a human erythrocyte-like transformation in response to temperature changes. The normally biconcave discoid erythrocytes, i.e., the discocytes, are transformed into various shapes by their environmental stresses. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) demonstrates that the spherical vesicles consisting of poly(methacrylic acid)-block-poly(n-butyl methacrylate-random-methacrylic acid), PMAA-b-P(BMA-r-MAA), transform into echinocyte-like crenate vesicles due to expansion by the component copolymers in being freed from the vesicle surface when heated in an aqueous methanol solution. An increase in the vesicle concentration transforms the spherical vesicles into stomatocyte-like cup-shaped vesicles via the membrane perforation or double invaginations followed by membrane coupling and fusion. Light scattering studies reveal the reversibility and repeatability of the transformations. These findings indicate that the erythrocyte transformations are attributed to the inherent property of the bilayer membrane. The polymer vesicles are helpful for a better understanding of the biomembrane.