Mar 29, 2021 · Five years ago, scientists created a single-celled synthetic organism that, with only 473 genes, was the simplest living cell ever known. However, this bacteria-like organism behaved strangely when growing and dividing, producing cells with wildly different shapes and sizes.

An artificial cell, synthetic cell or minimal cell is an engineered particle that mimics one or many functions of a biological cell. Often, artificial cells are biological or polymeric membranes which enclose biologically active materials. [1]

Mar 31, 2021 · Five years ago, scientists created a single-celled synthetic organism that, with only 473 genes, was the simplest living cell ever known. However, this bacteria-like organism behaved strangely when growing and dividing, producing cells with wildly different shapes and sizes.

The structures called “synthetic cells”, or “artificial cells”, or “protocells” (sometimes with different nuances in meaning) are chemical or biochemical systems based on micro-compartments that enclose a set of reacting molecules, mimicking the cell structure and behavior.

Dec 1, 2021 · Synthetic cells carrying cell-free replication systems (DNA or RNA) provide a powerful tool for the study and development of compartmentalized systems that can evolve in a similar way as living organisms.

Dec 15, 2023 · Scientists are captivated by the prospect of creating a fully synthetic cell, offering the potential to revolutionize biology, medicine and biotechnology. In this Viewpoint, a panel of experts...

Apr 11, 2022 · Examples include synthetic cells that can synthesize their own ATP using light, maintain metabolic reactions through enzymatic networks, perform gene replication, and even grow and divide. In this Review, we discuss recent developments in the design and construction of synthetic cells and organelles using the bottom-up approach.

Our goal is to create a coordinated European innovation ecosystem for synthetic cell research, where scientists can join forces with industry to advance and upscale research and stimulate technologies in Europe.

May 15, 2024 · We describe how DNA can serve as a versatile tool for engineering entire synthetic cells or subcellular entities, and how DNA enables complex behaviour, including motility and information...

Apr 23, 2024 · Synthetic cells created with programmable peptide-DNA technology that directs peptides, the building blocks of proteins, and repurposed genetic material to work together to form a cytoskeleton, shown in fuscia.