Approaches to molecular communication between synthetic compartments based on encapsulated chemical oscillators

The use of confined micro-oscillators as paradigmatic model for studying communication and information exchange among network of synthetic cells is rapidly growing in the last years. In this paper we report the first steps of an ongoing investigation on the encapsulation of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky oscillating reaction inside phospholipid vesicles (liposomes). The preparation of liposomes encapsulating water soluble molecules can be efficiently carried out in two steps: 1. confining the solute inside water-in-oil droplet, 2. transformation of droplets into liposomes. Here we have started the investigation of chemical oscillation emerging behavior in these two types of compartments. We firstly show interesting dynamical behavior within emulsion droplets. Next, we assess the influence of additives (sugars in particular, which are necessary for the liposomes production) on the oscillation pattern. Future studies will be devoted to the encapsulation of Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction within liposomes. The potentiality of our systems for modeling intercellular communication pathways and its applications in the Bio-Chem-ITs context are shortly discussed. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014.