Lipid vesicle fusion as a method of transmitting a biologically active material to a cell

A method of transmitting a bilayer-associated material to a cell in vitro, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a carrier vesicle having about 2-10 lipid bilayers incorporating said bilayer-associated material, said carrier vesicle being in the form of a paucilamellar lipid vesicle having a non-phospholipid material as the primary structural lipid in said bilayers, said non-phospholipid material being selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene fatty ethers having the formula:
• R--CO(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.n H
• where n ranges from 2-4 and R is a hydrocarbon chain selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol and oleoyl alcohol or derivatives thereof,
• (b) delivering said carrier vesicle incorporating said bilayer-associated material to a location proximate to said cell in vitro;
• (c) allowing said lipid bilayer of said carrier vesicle and the membrane of said cell to fuse;
• and
• (d) allowing said bilayer-associated material to be transmitted to the membrane of said cell.

A method of transmitting a biologically active material to a cell in vitro, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a carrier vesicle having about 2-10 lipid bilayers encapsulating said biologically active material, said carrier vesicle being in the form of a paucilamellar lipid vesicle having a non-phospholipid material as the primary structural lipid in said lipid bilayers, wherein said non-phospholipid material is a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ether that forms vesicles which fuse with cells without lysing cells upon contact with cells;
• (b) delivering said carrier vesicle containing said biologically active material to a location proximate to said cell in vitro;
• (c) allowing said lipid bilayer of said carrier vesicle and the membrane of said cell to fuse;
• and
• (d) allowing said biologically active material to diffuse into said cell.

A method of transmitting a bilayer-associated material to a cell in vitro, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a carrier vesicle having about 2-10 lipid bilayers incorporating said bilayer-associated material, said carrier vesicle being in the form of a paucilamellar lipid vesicle having a non-phospholipid material as the primary structural lipid in said lipid bilayers, wherein said non-phospholipid material is a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ether that forms vesicles which fuse with cells without lysing cells upon contact with cells;
• (b) delivering said carrier vesicle incorporating said bilayer-associated material to a location proximate to said cell in vitro;
• (c) allowing said lipid bilayer of said carrier vesicle and the membrane of said cell to fuse;
• and
• (d) allowing said bilayer-associated material to be transmitted to the membrane of said cell.