Towards applications of synthetic cells in nanotechnology

Synthetic cells, which are assembled anew from well-defined molecular parts, open-up new possibilities for nanotechnological applications due to their reduced complexity and high functionality. In this review, we discuss how synthetic cells are being implemented in different fields ranging from biomedicine to material science. On one hand, synthetic cells can serve as microreactors that house metabolic networks and as therapeutic carriers that directly communicate with living cells. On the other hand, synthetic cells can become active components in a new-generation of materials that process inputs and result in autonomous and adaptive behavior. These early examples highlight the potential impact that synthetic cells will have in future applications.