The phase transition temperature of liposomes composed of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC)/hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (HSPC) at a 2:1 molar ratio was estimated in buffer, 30% and 50% bovine serum by monitoring the leakage of encapsulated self quenched doxorubicin (Dox) from the vesicles when exposed to a temperature increasing from 30-52 degrees C. The results showed that bovine serum caused a slight decrease in the phase transition temperature from 44 to 41 degrees C in 50% serum. Addition of 50% cholesterol to this liposomal composition resulted in the disappearance of transition temperature in buffer and 30% serum, whereas 50% bovine serum resulted in the reappearance of the transition temperature at 46 degrees C. The data suggest that bovine serum affects the transition temperature of liposomes in a concentration-dependent manner, and this effect is more pronounced in cholesterol-rich liposomes. The time course for the release of Dox from both kinds of liposomes (cholesterol rich and cholesterol free) during incubation in 50% bovine serum, at temperatures close to the transition temperature (42 degrees, 45 degrees C) was followed. The results showed an increased leakage of Dox from both kinds of liposomes, at both temperatures. However, liposomes with high cholesterol content released more drug at 42 degrees than at 45 degrees C. The size of these liposomes was monitored in 10% bovine serum at 25 degrees C for a period of 1 h using photon correlation spectroscopy. The data showed no variation in the size of both cholesterol-rich and cholesterol-free liposomes for this period, which indicates that bovine serum does not affect the size of either cholesterol-rich or cholesterol-free liposomes.