MEMBRANE FUSION - A NEW MODEL SYSTEM FOR EXOCYTOSIS: RECONSTRUCTION AND ELUCIDATION OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PROCESS IN INSULIN RELEASE, ENVELOPED VIRUS INFECTION, FERTILIZATION MEMBRANE IN ELEVATION, AND LIPOSOME DRUG DELIVERY

Abstract

Fusion of multilamellar phospholipid vesicles with planar phospholipid bilayer membranes was monitored by (1) the transfer of vesicular contents across the planar membrane and (2) the rate of appearance in the planar membrane of an intrinsic membrane protein present in the vesicle membranes.