“Life” as a dynamic supramolecular system created through constructive approach

Abstract Life can properly respond to external stimuli. This is because life is constructed by individual components (molecules and macromolecules) and responds to the external environment autonomously as a system, through interactions between components, converting energy, and information. This response contrasts with matter, which responds directly to external fields (heat, electric or magnetic fields, light, etc.). Life self-reproduces by converting ingested essential nutrients for self-reproduction and moves to safe and nourished areas. Life also possesses information molecules and propagates the information to its offspring. In this repeatable process, individuals possessing traits adaptable to their environment become the dominant species through natural selection, leading to evolution. We believe that even such a sophisticated life can be constructed as a dynamic supramolecular system by assembling characteristic molecules and macromolecules. This review shows how giant vesicles, self-assemblies of amphiphilic molecules, self-reproduce as primitive model protocells, expressing life-like features by incorporating new components, and eventually evolve into the ultimate artificial cell model.