Current Perspectives on Synthetic Compartments for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Nano- and micrometer-sized compartments composed of synthetic polymers are designed to mimic spatial and temporal divisions found in nature. Self-assembly of polymers into compartments such as polymersomes, giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), layer-by-layer (LbL) capsules, capsosomes, or polyion complex vesicles (PICsomes) allows for the separation of defined environments from the exterior. These compartments can be further engineered through the incorporation of (bio)molecules within the lumen or into the membrane, while the membrane can be decorated with functional moieties to produce catalytic compartments with defined structures and functions. Nanometer-sized compartments are used for imaging, theranostic, and therapeutic applications as a more mechanically stable alternative to liposomes, and through the encapsulation of catalytic molecules, i.e., enzymes, catalytic compartments can localize and act in vivo. On the micrometer scale, such biohybrid systems are used to encapsulate model proteins and form multicompartmentalized structures through the combination of multiple compartments, reaching closer to the creation of artificial organelles and cells. Significant progress in therapeutic applications and modeling strategies has been achieved through both the creation of polymers with tailored properties and functionalizations and novel techniques for their assembly.

Synthetic Intracellular Environments: From Basic Science to Applications

“…An appropriate crowding agent should be highly soluble and not react with other substances in the biological system. − In 1990, a protocell containing biomacromolecules such as DNA, RNA, and enzymes encapsulated in a vesicle was created to make it possible to perform biochemical reactions in crowded conditions and to provide a basic model . To date, a series of species have been encapsulated within artificial cells, including polymers, nucleic acids, enzymes, proteins, and small molecules. − In addition to these biomolecules, some nonbiological and inert macromolecules also have been successfully studied, as shown in Table .…”

Interpolyelectrolyte Complexes as an Emerging Technology for Pharmaceutical Delivery of Polypeptides

“…As interest and utility of PICsomes increased, inclusion of homopolymers, selection of chiral polypeptides, alteration of PEG fraction, and crosslinking enabled control over the morphology and stability of the PICsomes [62][63][64]. As it stands now, robust PICsomes have been developed as circulating nanoreactors for therapeutic applications [65,66] and may soon be in the clinic [67]. Likewise water soluble BICs formed by reacting PEG-b-poly(methacrylate) with divalent cations, can be chemically core-cross-linked and then remain stable as core cross-linked swollen nanogels after removal of the cations by a chelating agent [68].…”

Trends in the Synthesis of Polymer Nano‐ and Microscale Materials for Bio‐Related Applications

“…The use of polymeric nano-and microscale materials (PNMs) in biomedical applications [1][2][3] has expanded vastly over recent decades. Thanks to their chemical compositions, specific DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202200474 molecular architectures, and unique properties, polymeric nano-and microstructures can offer great advantages over conventional materials for a wide range of applications in the biomedical field.…”