Research Highlights

• Subject Category:
  • Cell & molecular biology

Published online: 14 May 2008 | doi:10.1038/nchina.2008.111

Cellular shells: A chance for a longer life

Timon Chengyi Liu

Introduction

© (2008) Wiley Interscience

In nature, eggshells protect eggs from outside harm. Inspired by this idea, Ruikang Tang and co-workers at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou¹ have created artificial shells that could protect and prolong the cellular life of yeast cells.

The artificial shells were made of calcium phosphate — the material that makes up bones and teeth in mammals. The researchers found that when yeast cells were encapsulated by calcium phosphate, the cells entered the G₀ phase (the dormancy phase). The artificial shells kept more than 80 per cent of yeast cells alive for a month at room temperature in pure water. Without the artificial shells, more than 80 per cent of the yeast cells would have died. The mineral coating could even protect the yeast against attack from the lytic enzyme zymolyase.

Looking ahead, Ruikang Tang and co-workers are planning to grow these shells around living human cells.

Scientists usually keep living cells at very low temperatures for cell engineering and therapy. With this technique, cells can be kept alive for a longer time at room temperature, and be used in living systems.

The authors of this work are from:
Center for Biomaterials and Biopathways, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.

Reference

1. Wang, B. et al. Yeast cells with an artificial mineral shell: Protection and modification of living cells by biomimetic mineralization. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 47, 3560–3564 (2008). | Article |