When Matter Builds Itself: Blueprints from Life to Materials.

Abstract

Self-assembly is pervasive in living systems but remains an unconventional paradigm for constructing functional materials in biological environments. Rather than relying on ex situ fabrication and subsequent integration, in situ self-assembly enables the autonomous formation of supramolecular architectures under physiological conditions, allowing synthetic materials to couple directly with biological functions. This Mini-Review surveys recent advances in functional self-assembly across intracellular, extracellular, and microbial realms, focusing on materials-driven strategies that introduce new electrical, optical, and mechanical capabilities into living systems. Examples range from intracellular semiconducting nanostructures and optically active supramolecular assemblies to extracellular conductive interfaces and engineered microbial materials. Together, these studies establish self-assembly as an active mechanism for augmenting biological function and a scalable route toward biointegrated, adaptive materials.