Synthetic Cells on Demand: From Molecular Stimuli to Cellular Functions

ABSTRACT Synthetic cells constructed via bottom‐up approaches using lipid or polymer vesicles have become essential tools for mimicking cellular functions and studying synthetic biological systems. These vesicles can undergo morphological changes and trigger internal reactions in response to external stimuli, such as osmotic pressure, temperature, pH, light, and chemical signals. This review highlights recent advances in the design of stimulus‐responsive artificial cells, with a focus on lipid or polymer vesicle deformation, division, and signal‐triggered biochemical activity. Special emphasis is placed on multivesicular vesicle systems that emulate organelle‐level compartmentalization and allow precise control of internal functions. Additionally, artificial cell−cell communication systems have been developed using DNA‐based adhesion, nanopores, and cell‐penetrating peptides to facilitate molecular exchange between lipid or polymer vesicles. These developments have paved the way for the construction of autonomous artificial cells capable of sensing their environment and performing programmable functions. Such systems hold great promise for applications in synthetic biology, including therapeutic delivery, biosensing, and biomolecular robot development.