Cell Surface and Membrane Engineering: Emerging Technologies and Applications
1
Translational Tissue Engineering Center (TTEC), Johns Hopkins University, 400 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
2
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Francesco Puoci
J. Funct. Biomater. 2015, 6(2), 454-485; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb6020454
Received: 28 April 2015 / Revised: 8 June 2015 / Accepted: 12 June 2015 / Published: 18 June 2015
Membranes constitute the interface between the basic unit of life—a single cell—and the outside environment and thus in many ways comprise the ultimate “functional biomaterial”. To perform the many and often conflicting functions required in this role, for example to partition intracellular contents from the outside environment while maintaining rapid intake of nutrients and efflux of waste products, biological membranes have evolved tremendous complexity and versatility. This article describes how membranes, mainly in the context of living cells, are increasingly being manipulated for practical purposes with drug discovery, biofuels, and biosensors providing specific, illustrative examples. Attention is also given to biology-inspired, but completely synthetic, membrane-based technologies that are being enabled by emerging methods such as bio-3D printers. The diverse set of applications covered in this article are intended to illustrate how these versatile technologies—as they rapidly mature—hold tremendous promise to benefit human health in numerous ways ranging from the development of new medicines to sensitive and cost-effective environmental monitoring for pathogens and pollutants to replacing hydrocarbon-based fossil fuels.
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Keywords:
cell surface engineering; membrane engineering; metabolic engineering; biofuel synthesis; biosensors; bio 3D printing
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited
MDPI and ACS Style
Saeui, C.T.; Mathew, M.P.; Liu, L.; Urias, E.; Yarema, K.J. Cell Surface and Membrane Engineering: Emerging Technologies and Applications. J. Funct. Biomater. 2015, 6, 454-485.
AMA Style
Saeui CT, Mathew MP, Liu L, Urias E, Yarema KJ. Cell Surface and Membrane Engineering: Emerging Technologies and Applications. Journal of Functional Biomaterials. 2015; 6(2):454-485.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSaeui, Christopher T.; Mathew, Mohit P.; Liu, Lingshui; Urias, Esteban; Yarema, Kevin J. 2015. "Cell Surface and Membrane Engineering: Emerging Technologies and Applications" J. Funct. Biomater. 6, no. 2: 454-485.
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