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Cortex-like cytoskeleton, a thin layer of cross-linked cytoplasmic proteins underlying the cell membrane, plays an essential role in modulating membrane behavior and cell surface properties. However, bottom-up construction of functional cortex-like cytoskeleton in artificial cells remains a challenge. Here, we present metal-phenolic networks as artificial cortical cytoskeletons in liposome-based artificial cells. The metal-phenolic cytoskeleton-reinforced artificial cells exhibit long-term stability, enhanced resistance to a variety of harsh environments, tunable permeability, and well-controlled morphologies. We anticipate that our stable artificial cell models will stride forward to practical applications of liposome-based microsystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which explores the mode selection mechanism in traveling and standing waves revealed by Min wave reconstituted in artificial cells. It mentions that reaction-diffusion coupling (RDc) generates spatiotemporal patterns, including two dynamic wave modes, traveling and standing waves.

The article report the construction of artificial cells that chemically communicate with mammalian cells under physiological conditions. It mentions the artificial cells respond to the presence of a small molecule in the environment by synthesizing a potent protein signal, brain-derived neurotrophic factor. It also mentions that artificial cells are a versatile chassis for the in situ synthesis and on-demand release of chemical signals that elicit desired phenotypic changes of eukaryotic cells.

Although many techniques exist for preparing microcapsules, it is still challenging to fabricate them in an efficient and scalable process without compromising functionality and encapsulation efficiency. We demonstrated a simple one-step approach that exploits a versatile host-guest system and uses microfluidic droplets to generate porous microcapsules with easily customizable functionality. The capsules comprise a polymer-gold nanoparticle composite held together by cucurbit[8]uril ternary complexes. The dynamic yet highly stable micrometer-sized structures can be loaded in one step during capsule formation and are amenable to on-demand encapsulant release. The internal chemical environment can be probed with surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major goal of synthetic biology is to develop a deeper understanding of biological design principles from the bottom up, by building circuits and studying their behavior in cells. Investigators initially sought to design circuits "from scratch" that functioned as independently as possible from the underlying cellular system. More recently, researchers have begun to develop a new generation of synthetic circuits that integrate more closely with endogenous cellular processes. These approaches are providing fundamental insights into the regulatory architecture, dynamics, and evolution of genetic circuits and enabling new levels of control across diverse biological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How synthetic can "synthetic biology" be? A literal interpretation of the name of this new life science discipline invokes expectations of the systematic construction of biological systems with cells being built module by module—from the bottom up. But can this possibly be achieved, taking into account the enormous complexity and redundancy of living systems, which distinguish them quite remarkably from design features that characterize human inventions? There are several recent developments in biology, in tight conjunction with quantitative disciplines, that may bring this literal perspective into the realm of the possible. However, such bottom-up engineering requires tools that were originally designed by nature's greatest tinkerer: evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the concept of emergence which is a term that refers to the phenomena in which the complex structure and behavior in systems that have many interacting components exceed the knowledge of those interactions. According to the authors, emergence in physical and biological sciences has been elusive. Topics include an overview of how artificial cells are shedding light on how life may have emerged, how the organic chemistry of presolar environments may be aided by studying carbonaceous meteorites, and examples of emergence, such as that offered in the game "Game of Life." An explanation of the "Game of Life," a brief overview of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction, and DNA manipulation are presented.

The article talks how artificial mouse embryos grown from stem cells in a dish could help unlock secrets of early development and infertility. The artificial embryos are providing new insights into how embryos organise themselves and grow. The team of researchers engineered the artificial embryos so the cell types fluoresced in different colours, to reveal their movements and behaviour as the embryos go through crucial changes.

This article discusses research conducted by chemical biologist Neal Devaraj at the University of California, San Diego, on the development of artificial cell mimics, which can communicate with other cells in its surroundings. The author comments on the creation of these pseudo-cells from artificial materials, equipping them with DNA that encodes for green fluorescent protein (GFP), which was then passed on to other cells.

The article reports that the synthetic biology initiative Genome Project-write (GP-write) announced plans to engineer virus-resistant cells.

The article reports on the critical limiting factor in the design of artificial tissues or repair of large wounds. It stated that the availability of the oxygen necessary for vascularization and healing to occur is one critical limiting factor. Meanwhile, Jon Harrison have explored the possibility of creating a material that can generate oxygen in situ. Sodium percarbonate was mixed with poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) in solution, and films were solution-cast and slowly dried to prevent the formation of voids.