TY - JOUR
T1 - Vesicle-based artificial cells
T2 - materials, construction methods and applications
AU - Lu, Yao
AU - Allegri, Giulia
AU - Huskens, Jurriaan
PY - 2022/3/7
Y1 - 2022/3/7
N2 - The construction of artificial cells with specific cell-mimicking functions helps to explore complex biological processes and cell functions in natural cell systems and provides an insight into the origins of life. Bottom-up methods are widely used for engineering artificial cells based on vesicles by the in vitro assembly of biomimetic materials. In this review, the design of artificial cells with a specific function is discussed, by considering the selection of synthetic materials and construction technologies. First, a range of biomimetic materials for artificial cells is reviewed, including lipid, polymeric and hybrid lipid/copolymer materials. Biomaterials extracted from natural cells are also covered in this part. Then, the formation of microscale, giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) is reviewed based on different technologies, including gentle hydration, electro-formation, phase transfer and microfluidic methods. Subsequently, applications of artificial cells based on single vesicles or vesicle networks are addressed for mimicking cell behaviors and signaling processes. Microreactors for synthetic biology and cell-cell communication are highlighted here as well. Finally, current challenges and future trends for the development and applications of artificial cells are described.
AB - The construction of artificial cells with specific cell-mimicking functions helps to explore complex biological processes and cell functions in natural cell systems and provides an insight into the origins of life. Bottom-up methods are widely used for engineering artificial cells based on vesicles by the in vitro assembly of biomimetic materials. In this review, the design of artificial cells with a specific function is discussed, by considering the selection of synthetic materials and construction technologies. First, a range of biomimetic materials for artificial cells is reviewed, including lipid, polymeric and hybrid lipid/copolymer materials. Biomaterials extracted from natural cells are also covered in this part. Then, the formation of microscale, giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) is reviewed based on different technologies, including gentle hydration, electro-formation, phase transfer and microfluidic methods. Subsequently, applications of artificial cells based on single vesicles or vesicle networks are addressed for mimicking cell behaviors and signaling processes. Microreactors for synthetic biology and cell-cell communication are highlighted here as well. Finally, current challenges and future trends for the development and applications of artificial cells are described.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85125965314&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1039/d1mh01431e
DO - 10.1039/d1mh01431e
M3 - Review article
C2 - 34908080
AN - SCOPUS:85125965314
SN - 2051-6347
VL - 9
SP - 892
EP - 907
JO - Materials Horizons
JF - Materials Horizons
IS - 3
ER -