Molecular Communications in the Context of “Synthetic Cells” Research

The recent progresses in bottom-up synthetic biology allow the construction of cell-like systems (shortly called “synthetic cells”) based on the encapsulation of chemicals and biological macromolecules inside lipid vesicles. Synthetic cells are far from being alive, but can be designed in order to imitate biological cells with respect to specific functions. The exchange of chemical signals is one of the most fascinating ones. Experimental papers have shown that synthetic cells can be designed to send and receive molecular signals, inaugurating a new research avenue that can be highly relevant not only for nano-medicine and nano-biotechnology, but also for basic understanding of minimal cognitive systems. Here we shortly present the synthetic cell technology and illustrate how to implement the concept of molecular communication in this field.