Today, we would like to introduce a Jacketed Liposome Extruder provided by Genizer. It’s mainly used to homogenize cosmetics and pharmaceutical products, reduce the particle size of liposomes and emulsions to facilitate sterile filtration. In addition to nanoscale liposomes, it can also be utilized to prepare exosomes and artificial cell membranes. The power source is nitrogen gas cylinder, which generates a specific amount of pressure that pushes the material repeatedly through a membrane filter with a defined pore size. This process results in the preparation of uniformly defined liposomes, with size ranging from 20nm to 300nm. This device offers four capacity options (10ml, 100ml, 800ml, and 3000ml) to meet various volume needs.

First, let’s take a look at the components of the extruder. All of its parts are made of 316 L stainless steel. It consists of screw cap, extruder top, track-etched membrane, drain disc, micron pore plate, large pore support disc, filter support base, extruder base, jacketed barrel, wing nuts and gaskets

Next, let’s move on to the assembly process of the Genizer Jacketed Liposome Extruder.

Place the extruder base on a stable platform. Take out the filter support base.  Check the O-ring for wear or damage and place it on the extruder base.

Carefully place the large pore support disc in the filter support base. Then place the laser disc flat on the large pore support disc, ensuring that the dull side is facing up. Place one drain disc, followed by a track-etched membrane with specific pore sizes(shiny side up). Please note that the membrane should be flat with no wrinkles or bubbles. Wetting the membrane can be beneficial during the placement. Vertically place the jacketed barrel on the extruder base, check the O-Ring, ensuring it is intact to avoid any air or liquid leakage.

Install the top of the extruder, place gaskets on the rods, secure the entire extruder with wing nuts, then tighten wing nuts symmetrically to keep the top cover level. Finally, tighten the screwcap to complete the assembly. Now, proceed with the experimental preparation.

First, connect one end of the plastic hose to the sample outlet, and the other end into the outlet reservoir to collect the extruded material. Remove the screw cap from the top, fill the extruder with unprocessed material(less than 100mL) using the syringe. Screw the cap back in place.

The pressure exhaust valve on the extruder top should be in the closed position during operation. Connect the supplied tubing to your nitrogen cylinder. Turnthe nitrogen cylinder knob counterclockwise to allow the gas to flow. Then, turn the regulator knob clockwise to set the operational pressure. Please note that adjustments should be made slowly, with the pressure typically set between 150-200Psi.

 Under nitrogen pressure, the material will be slowly extruded through the nano-pores of the filter membrane. The material after extrusion is more homogeneous and transparent. After completing the extrusion, turn off the nitrogen cylinder knob clockwise and open the exhaust valve on the extruder top to depressurize the pressure. Make sure that the pressure gauge on the regulator knob is zeroed and close the regulator knob. Remove the high-pressure tubing, disassemble and clean the extruder to avoid residual solidification of the material in the extruder.