The first artificial cellular organelle, a small microfluidics chip that mimics some of the cell’s Golgi apparatus actions, has been created by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The digital device allows the researchers to control the movement of a single microscopic droplet while they add enzymes and sugars, split droplets apart, and slowly build a molecule chain like heparin, which is widely used to prevent blood from clotting in medical procedures.

(JACS)