Membraneilles

Membraneilles are small, membrane-bound compartments used in synthetic biology and nanomedicine to model or emulate aspects of cellular membranes. They are typically bounded by a lipid bilayer that can encapsulate an aqueous core and may incorporate membrane proteins, lipids, or functional enzymes, enabling selective interactions with their environment.

Production and design of membraneilles commonly rely on lipid self-assembly, detergent removal, extrusion, or microfluidic fabrication. Diameters typically range from tens to several hundred nanometers, and the surface can be tailored with polymers, targeting ligands, or receptor-mimicking motifs to influence stability, biodistribution, and specificity. Variants may present solely as simple vesicles or as more complex constructions with membrane proteins or catalytic machinery embedded in or on the bilayer.

Functions and applications span research and medicine. As model systems, membraneilles help study membrane transport, fusion, permeability, and signaling in a controlled context. In practical use, they serve as drug delivery vehicles capable of carrying nucleic acids, proteins, or small molecules, with potential for targeted release and reduced off-target effects. They are also investigated as platforms for biocatalysis, diagnostic sensing, and as artificial organelles that compartmentalize reactions.

Advantages and challenges include biocompatibility and tunable permeability alongside concerns about stability in vivo, batch-to-batch reproducibility, and possible immune interactions. Scaling production while maintaining quality control remains an active area of development, as does achieving precise control over membrane composition and functional integration.

Terminology varies; the term membraneille is not universally standardized and may be used interchangeably with liposomes or proteoliposomes in different contexts. Related concepts include vesicles, liposomes, and artificial organelles.