Lipid-based mesophases as matrices for nanoscale reactions.

Lipidic mesophases are versatile bioorganic materials that have been effectively employed as nanoscale matrices for membrane protein crystallization, drug delivery and as food emulsifiers over the last 30 years. In this review, the focus is upon studies that have employed non-lamellar lipid mesophases as matrices for organic, inorganic and enzymatic reactions. The ability of lipidic mesophases to incorporate hydrophilic, amphiphilic and hydrophobic molecules, together with the high interfacial area of the lipidic cubic and inverse hexagonal phases has been exploited in heterogeneous catalysis as well as for enzyme immobilization. The unique nanostructure of these mesophases is the driving force behind their ability to act as templates for synthesis, resulting in the creation of highly ordered polymeric and inorganic materials with complex geometries.