Molecular recognition of bilayer vesicles

Vesicles have been a versatile topic of research in chemistry ever since the discovery that, besides phospholipids, synthetic amphiphiles can also form molecular bilayers enclosing a small aqueous compartment. Non-covalent interactions of receptors and ligands or hosts and guests at vesicle surfaces resemble recognition processes at biological membranes, including cell recognition, adhesion and fusion. Molecular recognition at membranes is often mediated by a multivalent instead of a monovalent interaction. This tutorial review describes the basics as well as the latest developments in biomimetic supramolecular chemistry of bilayer vesicles. We describe how molecular recognition can mediate the interaction between vesicles, and how the biomimetic supramolecular chemistry of vesicles furthers our understanding of biological membranes.