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The impetuous development of nanotechnology over the past two decades has enabled the production of a plethora of nanomaterials with outstanding optical, magnetic, electrical, catalytic and mechanical properties. The versatility of these materials attracted attention from the very beginning in the most disparate sectors of science and technology. The application of nanomaterials in the biological and biomedical fields soon benefited from the interaction with liposomes, which increased their biocompatibility and biostability. Liposomes indeed are versatile self-assembling supramolecular (nano)structures constituted of an aqueous core enclosed by a lipid bilayer, able to host hydrophobic and hydrophilic cargo, and with superior biocompatibility and great similarity with the biological membranes. The result is the construction of hybrid nanoscale architectures, in which nanoparticles (NPs) are allocated either in the aqueous core, in the palisade of the lipid bilayer or on the outer surface of the vesicles. In the first part of this review, the principal methods for the preparation of NP-loaded liposomes are carefully illustrated in a tutorial manner. In the second part, an overview of the great potentialities deriving from the conjugation of liposomes with NPs is presented. In each paragraph, the main characteristics of the most notable classes of NPs, the related issues, and the advantages arising from their association with liposomes are shown. Here, the most significant research works in literature for each kind of system are presented. [Display omitted] • Current methods for incorporating NPs into liposomes are illustrated. • The advantages of incorporating NPs into liposomes are discussed. • A tutorial section for non-expert researchers in the field is included. • An updated review of the main hybrid NP-liposomes and their applications is shown. • The impacts in the field of innovative therapies, theranostics and sensing are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fluid mono and bilayers of POPC are affected by the presence of EE2. • At the air/water interface, EE2 penetrates on hydrophobic chain of POPC molecules. • The high membrane curvature degree of SUVs allowed the EE2 entrance in the vesicles. • EE2 strongly affects the morphology of POPC GUVs. The lack of studies involving the effects in human health associated with the chronic ingestion of pollutants lead to the path of investigating the action of these compounds in cell membrane models. We demonstrated the interaction (causes and consequences) of the hormone 17 α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) with lipid monolayers (prepared as Langmuir films) and bilayers prepared as small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). Both fluidity and majority chemical composition of real plasma cell membrane were guaranteed using the phospholipid 1-palmitoil-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (POPC). Surface pressure-mean molecular area (π-A) isotherms and PM-IRRAS measurements highlighted the strong interaction of EE2 with POPC monolayers, leading the hormone to remain at the air/water interface and promoting its penetration into the phospholipid hydrophobic chains. In the case of bilayers, the entrance of the hormone inside the SUV is likely facilitated by their high curvature. In GUVs, EE2 was responsible for changes in the spherical shape, forming structures like buds and lipid protrusions. The set of results indicates the strong effects of EE2 on fluid membranes, which is an important feature to predict its damage in human cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]