Biomimetic Synthesis and Morphogenesis of Synthetic Brochosomes

Brochosomes, produced by leafhoppers, are among the most intricate structures found in nature, resembling three-dimensional buckyballs with nanoscale cavities [1, 2]. Although the precise mechanism of their formation remains unclear, these granules are formed in the excretory organs known as the Malpighian tubules, utilizing proteins and lipids [3, 4]. Leafhoppers produce large quantities of brochosomes, which can be either monodispersed or polydispersed, with consistent surface features unique to each species. Due to their complex geometry, three-dimensionality, and submicron scale dimensions, producing synthetic brochosomes in large quantities poses a significant technological challenge [5 – 7]. Inspired by the brochosome production capabilities of the Malpighian tubules, we have developed a biomimetic approach capable of continuously generating synthetic brochosomes with tailorable geometries and morphologies in a highly scalable fashion. By tuning the physical and chemical synthesis parameters, we successfully produced polymer-based synthetic brochosomes that closely mimic five different types of natural brochosomes found in various leafhopper species. Our system can produce monodispersed synthetic brochosomes at a rate of approximately 100,000 particles per second, which is four orders of magnitude higher than the state-of-art microparticle fabrication technology, with at least an order of magnitude finer in fabrication resolution [8]. The ability to fabricate synthetic brochosomes with diverse morphologies at scale will open up exiting new opportunities for different optical and biomedical applications.

References
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