Molecular assembly and application of biomimetic microcapsules.

The assembly of multifunctional biomimetic microcapsules at the molecular level is of tremendous interest for biophysical research and the biomedical field. Among the available molecular assembly techniques, layer-by-layer assembly has attracted extensive attention for the fabrication of biomimetic microcapsules because it possesses engineered features including size, shape, thickness, composition and permeation, and the capability of incorporating different types of biomolecules. In this tutorial review, we highlight how biomimetic microcapsules can be fabricated by directly applying lipids and proteins as assembly pairs and how layer-by-layer assembled polyelectrolyte microcapsules can be interfaced with biological components such as phospholipid membranes and proteins. The applications of these biomimetic microcapsules in drug delivery, biosensors, and hybrid nanodevices are also addressed.