The emergence of the first proto-cells is often depicted as a harmonious process. However, thermodynamic reality suggests a period of intense competition for membrane-building blocks (fatty acids). This paper proposes a model of "aggressive vesicles" that overcome the dilution of internal content through a synergy of photochemical regeneration, nanoparticle-mediated division, and hydrogen-bond networks. We demonstrate that cannibalism, combined with these stabilization mechanisms, leads to the formation of "islands of stability" rather than total extinction.
Peter Mikuláš (Mon,) studied this question.