Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

pH-Tolerant Tripeptide Coacervates as Biomimetic Catalytic Microreactors.

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026
Same author

Metal-ion induced coacervation of a short peptide under acidic conditions.

Soft matter·2026
Same author

Shoupeng Cao.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Diastereomeric Configuration Modulates Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation and Catalysis in Minimalist Dipeptide Coacervates.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Incorporation of Novel Synthetic Glycolipids in Liposomal Nanoparticles Affects Opsonization and In Vivo Clearance.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Transparent and airtight silica nano- and microchannels with uniform tubular cross-section.

Soft matter·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2025

Aqueous Droplets Used as Enzymatic Microreactors and Their Electromagnetic Actuation
08:27

Aqueous Droplets Used as Enzymatic Microreactors and Their Electromagnetic Actuation

Published on: August 28, 2017

5.4K

Assembly of biomimetic microreactors using caged-coacervate droplets.

Arjaree Jobdeedamrong1,2, Shoupeng Cao2, Iain Harley2

  • 1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Molecular Science and Engineering, Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), Rayong 21210, Thailand.

Nanoscale
|January 5, 2023
PubMed
Summary

We created stable, cell-like compartments using complex coacervates encapsulated in silica nanocapsules. This innovation enhances colloidal stability and enables controlled molecular transport for biomimetic microreactors.

More Related Videos

A Femtoliter Droplet Array for Massively Parallel Protein Synthesis from Single DNA Molecules
10:45

A Femtoliter Droplet Array for Massively Parallel Protein Synthesis from Single DNA Molecules

Published on: June 20, 2020

10.4K
Author Spotlight: Integrating Computational and Experimental Approaches in Precision Oncology
07:03

Author Spotlight: Integrating Computational and Experimental Approaches in Precision Oncology

Published on: December 1, 2023

997

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 15, 2025

Aqueous Droplets Used as Enzymatic Microreactors and Their Electromagnetic Actuation
08:27

Aqueous Droplets Used as Enzymatic Microreactors and Their Electromagnetic Actuation

Published on: August 28, 2017

5.4K
A Femtoliter Droplet Array for Massively Parallel Protein Synthesis from Single DNA Molecules
10:45

A Femtoliter Droplet Array for Massively Parallel Protein Synthesis from Single DNA Molecules

Published on: June 20, 2020

10.4K
Author Spotlight: Integrating Computational and Experimental Approaches in Precision Oncology
07:03

Author Spotlight: Integrating Computational and Experimental Approaches in Precision Oncology

Published on: December 1, 2023

997

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Colloid and Surface Chemistry
  • Synthetic Biology

Background:

  • Complex coacervates form liquid-like droplets for cell-like compartments and bioreactors.
  • Coacervates lack membranes, leading to poor colloidal stability (fusion, wetting), limiting compartment applications.
  • Developing stable, functional coacervate compartments is crucial for advanced biomimetic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To engineer stable coacervate-based compartments with enhanced colloidal properties.
  • To create a semipermeable shell around coacervates to control molecular transport.
  • To develop robust biomimetic microreactors using these novel compartments.

Main Methods:

  • Formation of complex coacervates.
  • Encapsulation of coacervates within silica nanocapsules to form caged-coacervates.
  • Characterization of nanocapsule shell properties and molecular transport regulation.
  • Assembly of caged-coacervates into biomimetic microreactors with enzymes.

Main Results:

  • Successfully formed caged-coacervates surrounded by a protective silica nanocapsule shell.
  • Demonstrated that the silica shell enhances colloidal stability of the coacervate droplets.
  • Showcased tunable semipermeability of the silica shell, regulating molecular transport based on nanocapsule size.
  • Engineered stable biomimetic microreactors with enhanced colloidal stability.

Conclusions:

  • Caged-coacervates with silica nanocapsule shells offer improved colloidal stability.
  • The silica shell provides adjustable semipermeability, controlling molecular exchange.
  • These caged-coacervates are a promising platform for constructing stable, functional biomimetic microreactors.