Lipid vesicles as possible intermediates in the origin of life

Lipid vesicles (liposomes) are closed structures in which (at least) one li pid bilayer separates an aqueous inner compartment from the bulk external a queous medium, as in membranes of contemporary biological cells. Lipid vesi cles have therefore been considered as possible cell precursors during the prebiological era on Earth. Recently, it has been shown that lipid Vesicles form spontaneously. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that thermodynam ically controlled peptide binding to and controlled polymerization reaction s on vesicles are possible, thus leading to an increase in the molecular co mplexity of lipid vesicles. This may have been relevant during the prebiolo gical evolution.