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Review
. 2021 May;13(3):e1683.
doi: 10.1002/wnan.1683. Epub 2020 Nov 17.

Cell mimicry as a bottom-up strategy for hierarchical engineering of nature-inspired entities

Xiaomin Qian  1 , Isabella Nymann Westensee  1 , Edit Brodszkij  1 , Brigitte Städler  1
Affiliations
Review

Cell mimicry as a bottom-up strategy for hierarchical engineering of nature-inspired entities

Xiaomin Qian et al. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Nanomed Nanobiotechnol. 2021 May.

Abstract

Artificial biology is an emerging concept that aims to design and engineer the structure and function of natural cells, organelles, or biomolecules with a combination of biological and abiotic building blocks. Cell mimicry focuses on concepts that have the potential to be integrated with mammalian cells and tissue. In this feature article, we will emphasize the advancements in the past 3-4 years (2017-present) that are dedicated to artificial enzymes, artificial organelles, and artificial mammalian cells. Each aspect will be briefly introduced, followed by highlighting efforts that considered key properties of the different mimics. Finally, the current challenges and opportunities will be outlined. This article is categorized under: Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology.

Keywords: artificial biology; artificial cells; artificial enzymes; bottom-up assembly; cell mimicry.

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References

FURTHER READING
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    1. Zhao, J., & Stenzel, M. H. (2018). Entry of nanoparticles into cells: The importance of nanoparticle properties. Polymer Chemistry, 9(3), 259-272.
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