Multilobed Magnetic Liposomes Enable Remotely Controlled Collection, Transport, and Delivery of Membrane-Soluble Cargos to Vesicles and Cells

Lipid bilayers are the basic structural components of all living systems, forming the membranes of cells, sub-cellular organelles, and extracellular vesicles. A class of man-made lipidic vesicles called multilobed magnetic liposomes (MMLs) is reported in this work; these MMLs possess a previously unattained combination of features owing to their unique multilobe structure and composition. MMLs consist of a central cluster of lipid-coated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles that lend them a magnetophoretic velocity comparable to the most efficient living microswimmers. Multiple liposome-like lobes protrude from the central region; these can incorporate both water-soluble and lipid-soluble molecular payloads at high carrying capacity and exchange the incorporated substances with the membranes of both artificial and live cells by the contact diffusion mechanism. The size of MMLs is controllable in the range of 200-800 nm. Their functionality is demonstrated by completing a model mission where MMLs are remotely controlled to collect, transport, and deliver a cargo to live cells.