Membrane Manipulation of Giant Unilamellar Polymer Vesicles with a Temperature‐Responsive Polymer

Abstract

Understanding the complex behavior and dynamics of cellular membranes is integral to gain insight into cellular division and fusion processes. Bottom-up synthetic cells are as a platform for replicating and probing cellular behavior. Giant polymer vesicles are more robust than liposomal counterparts, as well as having a broad range of chemical functionalities. However, the stability of the membrane can prohibit dynamic processes such as membrane phase separation and division. Here, we present a method for manipulating the membrane of giant polymersomes using a temperature responsive polymer. Upon elevation of temperature deformation and phase separation of the membrane was observed. Upon cooling, the membrane relaxed and became homogeneous again, with infrequent division of the synthetic cells.

Review of Shape Transformation Pathways of Polymersomes: Implications for Nanomotor, Biomedicine, and Artificial Cell Mimics

“…Melchiors et al employed a temperature responsive strategy to control the membrane of giant polymersomes, whose membrane was consisted of poly(butadiene)-block-poly-(ethylene oxide) (PBD-b-PEO) and incorporated with temperature responsive copolymer poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PDMA-b-PNI-PAM). 72 When the temperature rose, the membrane deformed and the phases separated. When the temperature decreased, the membrane relaxed, exhibiting temperature-driven reversibility, and occasionally division.…”