Highly organized assemblies of artificial vesicles as model for natural cell aggregates and tissues

Abstract

In recent years, huge progress has been made in the bottom-up synthesis of biomimetic vesicles as models for primitive natural cells. Here, we present a robust microfluidic platform for the spatial and temporal guidance of highly organized assemblies of artificial giant unilamellar vesicles. Tight assemblies of vesicles were formed by means of biotinylated lipids and addition of streptavidin. In order to assess the suitability of highly organized assemblies of GUVs as model systems for natural cell aggregates, we focused on the specificity and reversibility of the assembly process.