The making of minimal synthetic cells suitable for applications in medicine is advanced. We are trying to create artificial life into its bare basics, with specific built-in limitations that prevent us from creating free, autonomous lifeforms, which is dangerous and unethical. The idea is to make cell-like entities that function very much as cells do but without the ability to replicate and divide. Also, protobiological approaches work towards replicating only the necessities of the cell to achieve a functional outcome and the partial autonomy that is guided by the chief protocell designer. The protocells will only have the autonomous parts and systems that characterize a natural cell, these being a metabolism, signaling capacity, energy storage, receptors for receiving outside signals from the host's cells and tissues, and storage of data to instruct the other processes-made of DNA. Purposefully, there is no system for division and growth. Protocells are to be programmed with operations and lifespans strictly defined to prevent growth. One of the significant problems with stem cells is the inability to control division when it can lead to the formation of tumors.

 

The outcome is always pre-determined by the protological-designer. Therefore, there will be specific protocells for drug delivery harboring the functions to interact with cells in tandem with a clockwork mechanism that all cells have to release a biological molecule in sequence. Also, there will be protocells-similarly with basic cell systems-and the ability to initiate and spur the growth of natural cells for orderly regeneration into tissues. We envisage lots of other well-determined roles for individually tailored protocells.

And to create life-like prototissues for applications in medicine. Proto-medicine: employing proto life and proto life systems to solving specific medical problems.