Bioinspired cell-in-shell systems in biomedical engineering and beyond: Comparative overview and prospects

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Materials Science
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Living cells are crucial for therapeutic applications like cell therapy and biosensors.
• Protecting cells from stress is essential for extending storage life and successful transplantation.
• Nature's seed dormancy mechanism, involving a protective seed coat, inspired new cytoprotective strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in cell encapsulation strategies for creating 3D "cell-in-shell" systems.
• To discuss the advantages of "cell-in-shell" structures for cytoprotection and cell-based technologies.
• To explore diverse coating materials and their impact on cell properties and applications.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing literature on artificial cell sporulation and chemical encapsulation techniques.
• Analyzing various polymeric and hybrid shell materials for cell encapsulation.
• Investigating the effects of encapsulation on cell protection, division, and functionality.

Main Results:

• The development of 3D "cell-in-shell" structures mimics natural protective mechanisms.
• Encapsulation enhances cytoprotective ability, allows control over cell division, and enables chemical functionalization.
• Diverse cell types, from microbes to mammalian cells, can be encapsulated using various shell materials.

Conclusions:

• "Cell-in-shell" systems offer significant potential for advancing cell-based technologies, including cell therapy and biosensors.
• Further research is needed to address challenges and fully realize the applications of these systems.
• On-demand shell degradation and tailored material properties are key areas for future development.