Fig. 1. Scheme showing metamorphosis of coacervate-based protocells into entangled hydrogel networks. (A) Polymer-dipeptide (PDDA/FMOC-AA) coacervate micro-droplets prepared at pH 8.5; (B) surface-specific reconfiguration to produce aster-like core/shell micro-architectures at pH 4.5; and (C) entanglement of FMOC-AA nanofibres to produce a macroscopic polymer-containing dipeptide hydrogel. The transformation is induced by slow hydrolysis of glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) in the continuous phase of the coacervate dispersion.
