Artificial Organelles Transform Free Radicals into Water and Oxygen

(University of Basel, July 16, 2013)

Researchers from the University of Basel have produced artificial organelles that can contribute to the degradation of toxic oxygen compounds. The research group led by Prof. Cornelia Palivan, Department of Chemistry at University of Basel, has managed to imitate the organelle with an artificial peroxisomesa. This process is based on a system using polymeric nanocapsules in which two different types of enzymes are included freeing oxygen radicals which convert to water and oxygen. The results reveal that the artificial peroxisomes are absorbed by the cell and have very efficient support from their peroxisomes in the natural detoxification process. With this novel research, development of new drugs are possible with an implant directly into the cell. The results were published in the journal "Nano Letters."