Lab-made synthetic cell grows, replicates DNA and divides for first time
Original: For first time, a cell built from scratch grows and divides
Why This Matters
Demonstrates feasibility of creating functional cell-like systems from scratch, advancing synthetic biology toward practical applications and understanding life's origins.
Scientists at the University of Minnesota built a synthetic cell from nonliving components that grows, replicates DNA, and divides—marking the first demonstration of a lab-created cell exhibiting basic life functions without being truly alive.
Researchers led by Kate Adamala at the University of Minnesota assembled a synthetic cell by packing nonliving molecular components into a cell-like membrane. The lab-made cell demonstrated core cellular functions: growth, DNA replication, and cell division. The breakthrough represents the furthest progress to date in creating artificial cells from biological components. The synthetic cell requires constant external supplies of food and ribosomes (protein-making machinery) to function and lacks defenses and waste removal systems, so it does not qualify as alive by scientific definitions. However, experts including Jack Szostak from the University of Chicago and Sijbren Otto from the Stratingh Institute acknowledged this as a major milestone toward the decades-long goal of generating life from nonliving materials. The study has not yet undergone peer review. Because the synthetic cell was constructed entirely from lab-crafted components, researchers can modify and exchange individual parts. Adamala stated she has "a blueprint, I have a full chemical ingredient list of every component." This flexibility could enable future applications including production of biofuels and pharmaceuticals, disease research, and exploration of fundamental questions about life's origins and minimal requirements for biological function.