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0Researchers have developed kpiCells, a novel biomimetic platform designed to replicate the complex mechanical and chemical phenotypes of living cells. These artificial cells feature a compartmentalized architecture consisting of a hyaluronic acid-based membrane and a tunable endoplasmic interior, allowing scientists to precisely control stiffness, viscoelasticity, and surface ligands. The study demonstrates that kpiCells can successfully mimic physiological cell-cell interactions, such as the formation of immunological synapses with T cells and the self-assembly of 3D tumor microenvironments. By using these bionic models, the authors discovered that target stiffness acts as a critical co-stimulatory cue, where rigid kpiAPCs enhance T cell activation, proliferation, and metabolic signaling. Ultimately, this technology provides a sophisticated tool for decoding mechanoregulation in immune responses and advancing CAR-T cell therapies.
References:
Yu X, Mukwaya V, Yue M, et al. Decoding mechanoregulation in immunological synapses using biomimetic artificial cells[J]. Nature Methods, 2026: 1-13.
