Issue 6, 2023

Assembly of biomimetic microreactors using caged-coacervate droplets

Abstract

Complex coacervates are liquid-like droplets that can be used to create adaptive cell-like compartments. These compartments offer a versatile platform for the construction of bioreactors inspired by living cells. However, the lack of a membrane significantly reduces the colloidal stability of coacervates in terms of fusion and surface wetting, which limits their suitability as compartments. Here, we describe the formation of caged-coacervates surrounded by a semipermeable shell of silica nanocapsules. We demonstrate that the silica nanocapsules create a protective shell that also regulates the molecular transport of water-soluble compounds as a function of nanocapasule size. The adjustable semipermeability and intrinsic affinity of enzymes for the interior of the caged-coacervates allowed us to assemble biomimetic microreactors with enhanced colloidal stability.

Graphical abstract: Assembly of biomimetic microreactors using caged-coacervate droplets

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
16 Sept. 2022
Accepted
14 Dec. 2022
First published
21 Dec. 2022
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Nanoscale, 2023,15, 2561-2566

Assembly of biomimetic microreactors using caged-coacervate droplets

A. Jobdeedamrong, S. Cao, I. Harley, D. Crespy, K. Landfester and L. Caire da Silva, Nanoscale, 2023, 15, 2561 DOI: 10.1039/D2NR05101J

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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