Protocells: spontaneous vesicle formation & compartmentalisation

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A simple **membrane-bound droplet** that forms by itself in water — a key **step between organic chemistry and true cells**, but **not yet alive**.

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**Phospholipids (and fatty acids) self-assemble** into a **bilayer vesicle** in water **spontaneously** — **no enzymes** are needed.

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The **hydrophobic effect** — the water-hating **tails** are pushed together away from water while the **heads** face the water, so a bilayer forms and seals into a vesicle.

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Using a **membrane** to separate an **internal space** — with its own contents and chemistry — from the surroundings.

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It **concentrates reactants** (faster reactions), **retains products**, gives a **different internal chemistry**, and **protects self-replicating molecules**.

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Droplets that concentrated reactants and protected their replicators **reacted faster and reproduced more**, so their type became **more common** — natural selection before true life.

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It has a membrane and an inside, but it **lacks reliable heredity** — it cannot copy its contents **accurately**, so it is only a stepping stone to true cells.