The U of M has built the world’s first synthetic cell that can grow, divide and replicate, opening the door to new possibilities in medicine and engineering.

A research team has succeeded in synthesizing simple, environmentally sensitive cells complete with artificial organelles. For the first time, the researchers have also been able to emulate natural cell-cell communication using these proto-cells -- based ...

Cells use phase separation to organize their inner environment, creating compartments for essential biochemical reactions without the use of membranes. Tian's team realized that by engineering similar condensates around synthetic genes, they could mimic this natural organization and maintain genetic stability across various cell generations.