Autonomous engulfment of active colloids by giant lipid vesicles

Fessler, Florent and Wittmann, Martin and Simmchen, Juliane and Stocco, Antonio (2024) Autonomous engulfment of active colloids by giant lipid vesicles. Soft Matter. ISSN 1744-6848 (https://doi.org/10.1039/d4sm00337c)

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Abstract

Our ability to design artificial micro/nanomachines able to perform sophisticated tasks crucially depends on our understanding of their interaction with biosystems and their compatibility with the biological environment. Here, we design Janus colloids fuelled only by glucose and light, which can autonomously interact with cell-like compartments and trigger endocytosis. We evidence the crucial role played by the far-field hydrodynamic interaction arising from the puller/pusher swimming mode and adhesion. We show that a large contact time between the active particle and the lipid membrane is required to observe the engulfment of a particle inside a floppy giant lipid vesicle. Active Janus colloids showing relatively small velocities and a puller type swimming mode are able to target giant vesicles, deform their membranes and subsequently get stably engulfed. An instability arising from the unbound membrane segment is responsible for the transition between partial and complete stable engulfment. These experiments shed light on the physical criteria required for autonomous active particle engulfment in giant vesicles, which can serve as general principles in disciplines ranging from drug delivery and microbial infection to nanomedicine.

  • Item type:Article
    ID code:89802
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    19 June 2024
    Published
    19 June 2024
    Published Online
    16 June 2024
    Accepted
    22 March 2024
    Submitted
    Subjects:Science > Chemistry
    Department:Faculty of Science > Pure and Applied Chemistry
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:01 Jul 2024 15:31
    Last modified:08 Jul 2024 08:38
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/89802
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