Smart cells: Chemists develop tool with potential to treat illness at
the cellular level
Scientists advance the field of precision health with the development of therapeutic artificial cells.

Date:
September 22, 2020
Source:
University of Alberta
Summary:
New research by an international team of chemists describes a
new type of artificial cell that can communicate with other cells
within the body - - with potential applications in the field of
smart pharmaceuticals.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
New research by an international team of chemists describes a new type of artificial cell that can communicate with other cells within the body --
with potential applications in the field of smart pharmaceuticals.


==========================================================================
"In the future, artificial cells like this one could be engineered
to synthesizes and deliver specific therapeutic molecules tailored to
distinct physiological conditions or illnesses -- all while inside the
body," explained Sheref Mansy, professor in the University of Alberta's Department of Chemistry, who co-authored this study in collaboration
with researchers at the University of Trento, Italy.

The artificial cells work by detecting changes in their environment within
the body. In response, the artificial cell creates and releases a protein signal that influences the behaviour of other cells within the body. "In
this way, the changing needs of the host would be rapidly met in a manner
that does not flood the entire organism with drug molecules," said Mansy.

Mansy's lab is the first to build artificial cells that can chemically communicate with and influence the behaviour of natural living cells
-- first with bacteria, and now with cells found in multicellular
organisms. "This work begins to bridge the divide between more
theoretical 'what is cellular life' type of work and applicative, useful technologies," added Mansy.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Alberta. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. O". Duhan Toparlak, Jacopo Zasso, Simone Bridi, Mauro Dalla Serra,
Paolo
Macchi, Luciano Conti, Marie-Laure Baudet, Sheref
S. Mansy. Artificial cells drive neural differentiation. Science
Advances, 2020; 6 (38): eabb4920 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb4920 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200922135734.htm

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