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Updated: Dec 15, 2025
Directed Assembly of Elastin-like Proteins into defined Supramolecular Structures and Cargo Encapsulation In Vitro
Published on: April 8, 2020
Molecular assembly of biomimetic microcapsules
Junbai Li1, Helmuth Möhwald2, Zhihua An1
1International Joint Lab, Key Lab of Colloid and Interface Science, the Center for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhong Guan Cun, Beijing 100080, China.
Abstract:
Our recent work on the fabrication of microcapsules comprised of human serum albumin (HSA) and -α-dimyristoylphosphatitic acid (DMPA) by means of stepwise adsorption of HSA and DMPA on fluid droplet surfaces or charged colloids and subsequent dissolution of the cores is reviewed. The lipid self-assembles as a bilayer on the protein surface and the completed microcapsule serves as a biomimetic membrane model. The DMPA/HSA microcapsules have good biocompatibility and the potential for the insertion of recognition units in the lipid bilayers. The structure and properties of the lipid/protein microcapsules are described and their potential for applications in sustained drug release are introduced.
