Abstract: Micellular particles such as small unilamellar vesicles of less than 2000 A° loaded with 111In are administered to BALB/c mice in which EMT6 tumors had been induced. Whole body scintographs of the mice to which either neutral or positively or negatively charged vesicles had been administered show a substantial quantity of the vesicle entrapped 111In localized in the tumor. Blocking of macrophages in the liver and spleen by first administering unlabeled, aminomannose substituted vesicles before administration of the labeled vesicles increases uptake of the 111In labeled vesicles in the tumor.

Abstract: A method is provided for delivering micellular particles containing chemotherapeutic agents and a marker to tumors within a body for the diagnosis and treatment of such tumors. The micellular particles are small, less than 2000 .ANG. and incorporate pure, neutral phospholipid molecules in their external surface. Enhanced delivery of the micellular particles containing marker and chemotherapeutic agents may be achieved by introducing an initial group of positively charged micellular particles to block the reticuloendothelial cells present in the body.

Abstract: Micellular particles such as small unilamellar vesicles of less than 2000 .ANG. loaded with .sup.111 In are administered to BALB/c mice in which EMT6 tumors had been induced. Whole body scintographs of the mice to which either neutral or positively or negatively charged vesicles had been administered show a substantial quantity of the vesicle entrapped .sup.111 In localized in the tumor. Blocking of macrophages in the liver and spleen by first administering unlabeled, aminomannose substituted vesicles before administration of the labeled vesicles increases uptake of the .sup.111 In labeled vesicles in the tumor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are vesicle compositions for controlled sustained release of an encapsulated therapeutic agent after parenteral administration. By adjusting the osmolarity between the suspending solution and the solution within the vesicles by adjusting the concentration of the suspending solution, the rate of release of the therapeutic agent after parenteral administration can be varied. The compositions can be effectively administered by intramuscular, subcutaneous injection or other means.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process of stabilizing micellular particles such as vesicles and increasing the shelf life by suspending the particles in a polymeric gel matrix. The invention also relates to such particles suspended in the gel matrix with a protective gel surface thereabout which is capable of becoming fluid and converting the protective surface of an aqueous suspension.

Abstract: An immunoassay method for detection of antigen is disclosed. The method employs complement mediated lysis of vesicles loaded with In-111 or other gamma-emitting cation, and quantitative detection of the lysis by gamma-ray perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy. The vesicles are labeled with a substance competitive to the antigen to be measured, and the concentration of the antigen in the sample measured by assessing the diminution in lysis due to the presence of the competing antigen.The method may also be used to assess the immunologic competence of a subject by injecting suitably sensitized vesicles and monitoring the in vivo lysis pattern by (PAC).

Abstract: Described herein is a process for labeling leukocytes and other phagocytic cells with labeled micellular particles involving incubating the cells with the micellular particles. Also described is a process for detecting the locus of an infection by administering to a subject leukocytes radiolabeled by incubation with labeled micellular particles followed by scanning the subject to detect the locus of radiation emitted by the particles.