RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Artificial cells drive neural differentiation
JF Science Advances
JO Sci Adv
FD American Association for the Advancement of Science
SP eabb4920
DO 10.1126/sciadv.abb4920
VO 6
IS 38
A1 Toparlak, Ö. Duhan
A1 Zasso, Jacopo
A1 Bridi, Simone
A1 Serra, Mauro Dalla
A1 Macchi, Paolo
A1 Conti, Luciano
A1 Baudet, Marie-Laure
A1 Mansy, Sheref S.
YR 2020
UL http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/38/eabb4920.abstract
AB We report the construction of artificial cells that chemically communicate with mammalian cells under physiological conditions. The artificial cells respond to the presence of a small molecule in the environment by synthesizing and releasing a potent protein signal, brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Genetically controlled artificial cells communicate with engineered human embryonic kidney cells and murine neural stem cells. The data suggest that artificial cells are a versatile chassis for the in situ synthesis and on-demand release of chemical signals that elicit desired phenotypic changes of eukaryotic cells, including neuronal differentiation. In the future, artificial cells could be engineered to go beyond the capabilities of typical smart drug delivery vehicles by synthesizing and delivering specific therapeutic molecules tailored to distinct physiological conditions.