Journal
NATURE MATERIALS
Volume 17, Issue 1, Pages 89-+Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/NMAT5005
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Funding
- European Research Council/ERC, SynAd [294852]
- Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany
- Max Planck Society
- German Science Foundation [SFB 1129]
- VolkswagenStiftung
- ERC [306385-SofI]
- Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
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Compartments for the spatially and temporally controlled assembly of biological processes are essential towards cellular life. Synthetic mimics of cellular compartments based on lipid-based protocells lack the mechanical and chemical stability to allow their manipulation into a complex and fully functional synthetic cell. Here, we present a high-throughput microfluidic method to generate stable, defined sized liposomes termed 'droplet-stabilized giant unilamellar vesicles (dsGUVs)'. The enhanced stability of dsGUVs enables the sequential loading of these compartments with biomolecules, namely purified transmembrane and cytoskeleton proteins by microfluidic pico-injection technology. This constitutes an experimental demonstration of a successful bottom-up assembly of a compartment with contents that would not self-assemble to full functionality when simply mixed together. Following assembly, the stabilizing oil phase and droplet shells are removed to release functional self-supporting protocells to an aqueous phase, enabling them to interact with physiologically relevant matrices.
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