Journal
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
Volume 21, Issue 12, Pages -Publisher
WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH
DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202100249
Keywords
melanin; melanogenesis; melanosomes; polydopamine; polymersomes; tyrosinase
Funding
- Swiss National Science Foundation
- University of Basel
- National Centre of Competence in Research - Molecular Systems Engineering
- Universitat Basel
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By mimicking the confinement of natural melanin in melanosomes, melanosome mimics containing melanin/polydopamine within polymersomes are developed, showing long-term colloidal stability, cell-compatibility, and potential for cell photoprotection. This novel artificial melanogenesis is expected to inspire new applications of confined melanin/polydopamine biopolymers.
Melanin and polydopamine are potent biopolymers for the development of biomedical nanosystems. However, applications of melanin or polydopamine-based nanoparticles are limited by drawbacks related to a compromised colloidal stability over long time periods and associated cytotoxicity. To overcome these hurdles, a novel strategy is proposed that mimics the confinement of natural melanin in melanosomes. Melanosome mimics are developed by co-encapsulating the melanin/polydopamine precursors L-DOPA/dopamine with melanogenic enzyme Tyrosinase within polymersomes. The conditions of polymersome formation are optimized to obtain melanin/polydopamine polymerization within the cavity of the polymersomes. Similar to native melanosomes, polymersomes containing melanin/polydopamine show long-term colloidal stability, cell-compatibility, and potential for cell photoprotection. This novel kind of artificial melanogenesis is expected to inspire new applications of the confined melanin/polydopamine biopolymers.
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