ABSTRACT
This chapter describes some basic techniques that allow ligands to attach to the surface of liposomes. It focuses on methods that permit direct covalent or non- covalent coupling of ligands to preformed liposomes. This approach is the most common and is also the best controlled from a chemical standpoint. It involves coupling procedures in aqueous media; this special type of chemistry has developed greatly during the last decade and is found in other domains such as the preparation of affinity chromatography supports, the protein conjugation and the coupling of haptens or antigens to carriers. The chapter deals with the incorporation of ligands that have been modified by hydrophobic anchors into liposomes. The chapter also deals with some useful techniques related to this field, such as the purification of the liposomes after ligand grafting. Several reviews have been published previously that deal mostly with the coupling of proteins to liposomes, and the application of targeted liposomes.
