Artificial Organelles Developed That Function in Living Organisms

Scientists at the University of Basel in Switzerland have created artificial organelles (AOs) that can function as tiny intracellular implants in living organisms. When tested in zebrafish embryos, membrane-bound, horseradish peroxidase-carrying AOs were taken up readily by cells in the embryos, where the encapsulated enzymes were activated in response to intracellular redox changes. The interdisciplinary research team, headed by Cornelia Pavilan, Ph.D., at the University’s department of c