Complex coacervates as artificial membraneless organelles and protocells

Area of Science:

• Biomimicry and Soft Matter Physics
• Polymer Science and Engineering

Background:

• Complex coacervates are membraneless, liquid-liquid phase-separated droplets formed from oppositely charged polyelectrolytes in aqueous solutions.
• These coacervates share characteristics with biological membraneless organelles, including easy formation, high viscosity, biomolecule encapsulation, and responsiveness to stimuli.
• Their properties make them promising candidates for building artificial membraneless organelles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in coacervate-based artificial compartments.
• To highlight the utility of microfluidic techniques in coacervate preparation and encapsulation.
• To discuss future challenges in developing coacervate systems for cell mimicry and origin of life research.

Main Methods:

• Summarization of recent research on coacervate artificial compartments and their environmental responses.
• Demonstration of microfluidic methods for producing monodisperse coacervates.
• Exploration of coacervate encapsulation within droplets and liposomes using microfluidics.

Main Results:

• Coacervate-based artificial compartments exhibit dynamic behaviors and selective encapsulation.
• Microfluidics offers precise control over coacervate formation, size, and integration into complex structures.
• Coacervates can be encapsulated within droplets and liposomes to create sophisticated cell-like compartments.

Conclusions:

• Coacervates are versatile building blocks for artificial membraneless organelles and cell mimics.
• Microfluidic techniques are crucial for the controlled fabrication of coacervate-based systems.
• Further research is needed to address challenges in coacervate applications for origin of life studies and advanced biomimicry.