Artificial photosynthetic cells: bridging chemical energization with biological functionalization

Artificial photosynthetic cells are nature-inspired systems that reproduce photosynthetic functions within cell/cell-mimetic compartments. Unlike discrete photocatalytic platforms, they integrate light harvesting, charge separation, multistep catalysis, selective transport, and compartmentalization to convert isolated photochemical reactions into coordinated cell-like functions. Driven by needs in carbon-neutral manufacturing, sustainable solar conversion, and precision medicine, the field is advancing from simple photocatalytic vesicles toward integrated and increasingly synthetic-cell platforms. In this review, we systematically elaborate on the rational design principles and emergent functional landscapes of artificial photosynthetic cells from a bioinspired perspective. We first decode the fundamental operational logic of natural photosynthesis, serving as a design blueprint. We then summarize the core construction modules of artificial photosynthetic cells, including cell-mimetic chassis, high-performance light-harvesting engines, multi-level catalytic networks, and precise interfacial engineering strategies. Furthermore, we categorize assembly paradigms into three mainstream branches: semi-artificial biohybrid systems, bottom-up reconstituted synthetic systems, and fully abiotic photosynthetic mimics. We further highlight a series of current and prospective functionalities, ranging from solar-driven CO₂ fixation and high-value chemical synthesis to in situ biomedical drug generation, as well as primitive life-like characteristics including intercellular communication, motility, and compartment division. Finally, we pinpoint the key technical bottlenecks, common pitfalls and outline opportunities enabled by the deep integration of synthetic biology, functional materials chemistry, and systematic bioengineering.