ABSTRACT
Minimal cells are minimal forms of life and therefore contain all essential features of living cells. Protocells are hypothetical systems which are thought to have formed before the first cells originated from the non-living at the origin(s) of life. Approaches towards the construction of protocell models and minimal cells are discussed. One key goal is to equip giant vesicles with a vesicle self-reproduction mechanism and with endovesicular reaction networks. The physical background for understanding of such complex, cell-like giant vesicle systems is provided in terms of membrane physics of membranes and on the basis of experimental observations.
