Synthetic Biology: Building Artificial Cells for Medical Purposes

Imagine a world where even the most difficult diseases can be tackled with a completely new approach. No longer just traditional drugs or invasive interventions, but tiny biological factories, created in the laboratory, that work inside our bodies to repair, heal and protect. This is a reality that is emerging thanks to  synthetic biology , a field of study that is redefining the boundaries of medicine.

Synthetic biology is like the engineering of life. Researchers, using knowledge from molecular biology, design and build artificial biological systems, such as  synthetic cells , with specific functions. These cells are not “living” in the traditional sense, but they are powerful tools, capable of performing tasks that natural cells cannot do or do less efficiently.

A bottom-up approach: building artificial cells

The process of creating an artificial cell is like a building block, but at the molecular level. It starts with basic biological components, such as lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and assembles them in a controlled way to create a structure that mimics a cell. This approach, called “bottom-up,” offers great flexibility, allowing cells to be designed with customized characteristics.

There are two main strategies for creating artificial cells:

• Top-Down Approach :  Starting from an existing cell, simplifying it and removing components that are not essential for the desired function.
• Bottom-Up Approach :  The cell is built from scratch, assembling biological or synthetic molecules. Artificial cells created with the bottom-up approach do not have an autonomous control system, like natural cells, but are completely controlled by the designer. This allows their behavior to be precisely programmed, like a biological micro-robot.

Why are artificial cells important?

You may ask, “Why do we need artificial cells? Aren’t natural cells enough?” The answer is that artificial cells offer unique advantages.

• Efficiency:  Artificial cells can be designed to perform a specific function without “distractions” or unwanted interactions, unlike natural cells, which perform multiple functions simultaneously.
• Safety:  Artificial cells, being non-living, reduce the biosafety concerns associated with the use of living organisms. There is no risk of uncontrolled release into the environment.
• Versatility:  Synthetic biology allows the creation of artificial cells with unique characteristics by combining biological and synthetic elements, opening up a world of possibilities.

Medical applications

Artificial cells have enormous potential in the medical field, with applications ranging from diagnosis to therapy. Let’s see some concrete examples:

1. Targeted drug delivery:  Artificial cells can be used as “smart carriers” to deliver drugs precisely, directly to the site of disease. Imagine a microscopic capsule that travels through the body, recognizes tumor cells, and releases the chemotherapy drug only there, sparing healthy cells. This reduces side effects and increases the effectiveness of the treatment. Liposomes, vesicles composed of lipids, are often used as the casing for these drug deliveries.
2. Biosensors:  Artificial cells can be engineered to detect specific disease biomarkers, such as proteins or nucleic acids that are present in abnormal amounts in a patient. These biosensors can provide early and accurate diagnosis, even at the molecular level. In this case, artificial cells can be “programmed” with proteins that react to a given signal in the environment.
3. Therapeutic Protein Production:  Artificial cells can act as small factories to produce therapeutic proteins, such as antibodies or enzymes, directly in the patient’s body. This application could be particularly useful for treating genetic or rare diseases, where defective proteins need to be replaced.
4. Gene therapy:  Artificial cells can deliver genetic material (DNA or RNA) into a patient’s cells to correct genetic defects. This application offers a promising approach to treating inherited diseases or cancers.
5. Artificial Photosynthesis:  Some artificial cells are capable of photosynthesis, using light to produce energy and useful compounds. These types of cells could be used to generate energy within the body or to produce drugs sustainably.
6. Immunotherapy:  Artificial cells can be used to stimulate a patient’s immune system to recognize and destroy tumor cells. Artificial cells can be programmed to synthesize therapeutic proteins within tumors. They can also mimic immune cells to target therapy.
7. Models for Research:  Artificial cells offer a simplified model for the study of cellular processes, particularly in origin-of-life research and theoretical biology.

Other applications

The applications of synthetic biology are not limited to medicine. Artificial cells can be used in many other areas, including:

• Industrial Biotechnology:  Artificial cells can produce chemical compounds, biofuels, or innovative materials more efficiently and sustainably than traditional methods.
• Environmental Biosensors:  Artificial cells can detect pollutants in the environment, providing an early warning system to protect human health and the ecosystem.
• Smart Materials:  Artificial cells can be used to create materials with surprising properties, such as the ability to self-repair or adapt to their surroundings.

Future prospects

Synthetic biology is a rapidly evolving field with great promise, but also significant challenges.

• Complexity:  The construction of complex artificial cells, with multiple integrated functions, is a difficult task that requires a multidisciplinary approach and new technologies.
• Control:  We need to find ways to control the behavior of artificial cells within the body, ensuring that they perform their functions safely and predictably.
• Scalability:  Methods need to be developed to produce artificial cells in large quantities and at low costs to make them accessible to all.
• Theoretical foundations:  Synthetic biology needs further developments in its theoretical foundations to be able to advance rapidly in the development of increasingly complex and more autonomous systems.
• Ethical Aspects:  It is important to reflect on the ethical aspects related to the creation and use of artificial biological systems.

Despite these challenges, the future of synthetic biology is bright. Researchers are working enthusiastically to overcome the difficulties and realize the full potential of this technology. In the future, artificial cells could become a fundamental part of our lives, improving our health and our environment.

Synthetic Biology in the News

Synthetic biology is making significant progress, with recent developments highlighting its potential in medicine and biotechnology.

Photosynthetic animal cells

A team of scientists has successfully introduced chloroplasts, the organelles responsible for photosynthesis in plants, into animal cells. Using chloroplasts isolated from the red algae Cyanidioschyzon merolae, which can photosynthesize at temperatures above 37°C, they were able to integrate them into Chinese hamster ovary cells. These cells showed photosynthetic activity for several days, accelerating their growth. Although the imported chloroplasts degraded by day four, this achievement opens the door to creating artificially photosynthetic animal cells, with potential applications in the production of artificial organs and lab-grown meat. 

Synthetic genes for tissue construction

Researchers at the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the University of California, Los Angeles have developed synthetic genes capable of replicating the activity of cells in the construction and dismantling of molecular structures. Using synthetic DNA “building blocks,” they created tubular structures controlled by specific RNA sequences, allowing the structures to form or disassemble at precise times. This approach could lead to new applications in biomedicine and diagnostics, enabling the design of materials that evolve spontaneously over time. 

Communication between synthetic and natural cells

Another advance involves the creation of synthetic cells capable of communicating with natural cells. These synthetic cells, equipped with artificial organelles, can respond to environmental stimuli and exchange signals with biological cells. This communication ability could revolutionize regenerative medicine and the creation of hybrid tissues, combining natural and synthetic elements to treat different pathologies. 

These developments underscore the rapid advances of synthetic biology and its potential to transform therapeutic and biotechnological approaches.

Key Points to Remember:

• Synthetic biology is   a field that aims to build artificial biological systems with specific functions.
• Artificial cells are   powerful tools for medicine and biotechnology.
• They can be designed with unique features through a “bottom-up” approach.
• They have potential applications in various fields, such as therapy, diagnosis, and materials production.
• Research in this field is advancing rapidly, but it is important to address the challenges with an ethical and responsible approach.
• Artificial cells are complex systems, but at the same time simplified compared to natural cells and can be used as models for the study of theoretical biology and the origin of life.

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