Revolution in the laboratory: Researchers of the CAU develop intelligent fabric!

Revolution in the laboratory: Researchers of the CAU develop intelligent fabric!

Kiel, Deutschland - An international research team has developed a new synthetic tissue that is both stable and fluid. The study, which was published on February 27, 2025 in Nature Communications , is under the leadership of the Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU). The synthetic fabric consists of several million synthetic cells, the basic building block of which are water droplets, which are surrounded by a double layer of lipids. This construction is similar to the natural cell membrane, which is, however, more complex and contains specific proteins that enable the transport of certain molecules.

The researchers have created rudimentary cell groups that resemble biological tissues living in terms of many characteristics. The synthetic cells, which reach a size of around 30 thousandths millimeters, show mechanical properties that are modeled on living cells. Molecular engines exercise forces on the membrane that are experimentally modeled by using the movements of the flagellum of flagey bacteria. These bacteria are also able to move cells within the composite to other positions.

research potential and future applications

The new synthetic tissue could have far -reaching applications. It is a model for examining natural cell networks and could play an important role in the integration of proteins into the membranes to create electrical potential. Future applications are conceivable in the field of medical implants that are covered with such artificial tissues in order to enable improved healing. Another exciting perspective are neural implants that would be able to replace defective nerve tissue.

The nature and structure of biomembranes has long been the subject of intensive research. Historical studies, such as that of William Hewson, who examined human blood and erythrocytes between 1760 and 1770, laid the foundation for understanding the lipid double layer. Evert Gorter and his assistant F. Grendel published the Lipid Bilayer model in 1925, which describes the essential properties of the biomolecular structures. Biomembranes are therefore complex and dynamic systems, while synthetic lipid double layers contain a defined selection of lipids that were specifically developed for special applications.

comparison of biomolecular structures

While biomembranes actively perform active functions such as transport, signal transmission and cell communication, synthetic double layers are more designed for special applications such as Drug Delivery. Their stability and limited adaptability make them less dynamic than their natural counterparts. Biomembranes that arise from natural self -organization in aqueous environment actively interact with their environment. These interactions are crucial for maintaining life processes and show why biomembranary structures are considered highly complex systems.