The field of cell mimicry attempts to copy cellular structures in terms of size, shape, and function. Formation of these artificial cells could replace lost cellular activity due to disease or genetic defects. A largely unexplored, yet very important aspect is the interface between the artificial cells and the mammalian cells in order to allow the former entities to support their natural role models. Cell membrane vesicles (CMVs) are vesicles derived from the plasma membrane of lysed cells, retaining the cells natural protein and lipid composition. The use of CMVs as coating has resulted in favourable interactions between particles and mammalian cells. However, its use is currently largely limited to nanoparticles.<br/>We used CMVs to coat hydrogel surfaces, resulting in an improved mimic of the cell surface compared to employing purified single cellular components or purely synthetic modifications. To this end, we purified CMVs from HepG2 cells using a combination of freeze-thaw cycles and mechanical force followed by centrifugation cycles and extrusion to obtain CMVs with low dispersity (fig. 1a). The CMV size was determined to be around 160 nm and the retention of E-cadherin was confirmed using Western blot. The interaction of the CMVs with alginate was determined on a planar surface using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation, which showed an improved adhesion to the hydrogel surface when a poly(L-lysine) terminating layer was used. Next, fluorescent recovery after photobleaching was employed to confirm that intact CMVs were deposited. Finally, a biological evaluation was conducted on flat surfaces coated with CMVs focusing on the adhesion and proliferation of HepG2 cells. For comparison, the graft copolymer poly(L-lysine)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) was used with the peptide His-Ala-Val (HAV) as a PEG end group modification (fig 1b). HAV is a peptide sequence that is considered to be the main contributor in E-cadherin mediated cell adhesion.<br/>Taken together, we successfully combined CMVs with cell mimicry towards facilitating the adhesion between mammalian cells and artificial cells.

Cell membrane vesicles to mediate the adhesion between artificial cells and HepG2 cells

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.