Fig. 5: Dipeptide coacervates as synthetic organelles in artificial cells.

a Schematic representation of membrane-bound complex coacervates (MBCs) stabilized by a BSA@MnO₂ nanoparticle shell; b Confocal image of the membrane-bound complex coacervates, green color indicates the internalized FITC-BSA and red color indicates the surrounding BSA@MnO₂, scale bar:20 μm (left); scale bar:10 μm (right). 5 experiments were repeated independently with similar results; c Fluorescence intensity profile of FITC-BSA and RITC-BSA@MnO₂ in MBCs; d Schematic representation of a cell-mimic containing Ru-microreactors as artificial organelles; e 3D image showing of a cell-mimic (green) with a Ru-organelle (red), scale bar:10 μm; f Confocal images of cell-mimics (stained with FITC-BSA, green) and Ru-organelle (stained with Nile Red, red), scale bar:20 μm. 3 experiments were repeated independently with similar results; g Fluorescence intensity profile of Nile Red and FITC-BSA in cell-mimics; h Confocal images show the decaging of Rho-110 (green) by cell-mimics containing Ru-organelles, scale bar:20 μm. 3 experiments were repeated independently with similar results; i Fluorescence intensity profile of the decaging reaction shown in (h); j Confocal images show the decaging reaction by cell-mimics without Ru-organelles, scale bar:20 μm; k Comparison of fluorescence intensity (decomposed product Rho-110 from pro-Rho, 20 μg mL⁻¹) inside and outside cell-mimics with and without Ru-organelles, data represent mean ± SD for n = 5 representative microscopic images of view. l Detailed image of cell-mimics shown in (h), scale bar:10 μm, green color indicates the de-caged product; m Line profile showing the fluorescence intensity of the recovered product (Rho-110) in cell-mimics. The product is preferentially located in the complex coacervate phase, indicating release from Ru-organelles. Error bars depict the Standard Deviation (SD) from analysis by confocal imaging.