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Cell mimicry

How to drink like a liposome

Nature Reviews Chemistry volume 7, pages 5–6 (2023)Cite this article

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The interactions of lipid bilayer cell membranes with liquid biomolecular condensates are key to many biological processes, including endocytosis. New research shows a model system of liposomes that are able to engulf droplets, effectively mimicking endocytosis.

The liposomes were generated from different combinations of positively charged, neutral and negatively charged lipids resulting in a structure that has an overall charged surface. The coacervate droplets were made by mixing charge-complementary species including proteins, peptides, RNA, synthetic polymers and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Initially, the interaction of positively charged liposomes and negatively charged droplets were tested. The droplets were surrounded and enclosed by the liposome membrane, and eventually brought into the liposome, in a process resembling endocytosis.

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Fig. 1: Liposomes engulfing droplets.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Jianhui Liu

  2. The Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Jianhui Liu

  3. Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA

    Jianhui Liu

  4. Shenzhen Institute of Aggregate Science and Technology, School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

    Ben Zhong Tang

Authors
  1. Jianhui Liu
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  2. Ben Zhong Tang
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Correspondence to Jianhui Liu or Ben Zhong Tang.

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Liu, J., Tang, B.Z. How to drink like a liposome. Nat Rev Chem 7, 5–6 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-022-00452-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-022-00452-z

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