Scientists at the University of Minnesota made headlines recently with new developments toward artificial life. But so far synthetic cell laboratory models created by humans collide with boundaries. The cells deteriorate and die after a while.
The lab-made “SpudCell”, named after the Russian Spudnik satellite that circled earth during the 1950s, replicates several key functions of living organisms but are way far from being a solitary real living organism.
The man-made synthetic cell mimics a living organism’s life cycle. Assembled entirely from scratch on using non-living chemicals as lipids and purified genes. it is capable of eating, replicating its own genome, and dividing. The models developed so far degenerate and ultimately do not survive.
The artificial SpudCell is overall weaker and slower than a natural cell.
Researchers hope to overcome these problems to make improved models that can help scientists further understand biology by building it from known parts.
While creating entirely new cells from scratch on is new, bioengineering of natural cells to solve human problems is not.
A well known example of bioengineered cells is how human insulin genes can be inserted into E. coli bacterial cells to manufacture insulin and treat diabetes. But this is about modification, not the creation of life.
Therefore it must be emphasized that the Spudcell and similar projects have little to do with stem cell research. The field of synthetic biology is completely different from stem cell research in which scientists reprogram and manipulate existing cells.
Regarding the combat to illnesses, there is wide consensus that synthetic cells based on Spudcell protocols are the next frontier helping to develop new cancer treatments.
Artificial cells might even play a future role as a tool to capture carbon or manufacture chemicals.
For now the system remains limited. SpudCells depend on outside supplies, cannot build their own ribosomes, do not control their own metabolism, and often pass on the wrong amount of DNA when they divide. They typically stop working after several generations. It emerged that there also must be an initial connection to original living material.
Real living material touched by the mysterious, divine spark of life.