We report the construction of artificial cells that chemically communicate with mammalian cells under physiological conditions. The artificial cells respond to the presence of a small molecule in the environment by synthesizing and releasing a potent protein signal, brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Genetically controlled artificial cells communicate with engineered human embryonic kidney cells and murine neural stem cells. The data suggest that artificial cells are a versatile chassis for the in situ synthesis and on-demand release of chemical signals that elicit desired phenotypic changes of eukaryotic cells, including neuronal differentiation. In the future, artificial cells could be engineered to go beyond the capabilities of typical smart drug delivery vehicles by synthesizing and delivering specific therapeutic molecules tailored to distinct physiological conditions.

我们报道了在生理条件下与哺乳动物细胞进行化学通讯的人造细胞的构建。人造细胞通过合成和释放有效的蛋白质信号（脑源性神经营养因子）来响应环境中小分子的存在。基因控制的人造细胞与工程化的人类胚胎肾细胞和鼠神经干细胞进行通信。数据表明，人造细胞是原位合成和按需释放化学信号的多功能底盘，可引发真核细胞所需的表型变化，包括神经元分化。未来，通过合成和递送针对不同生理条件定制的特定治疗分子，人工细胞可以被设计为超越典型智能药物递送工具的能力。