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All living systems are composed of cells. Therefore, the cell can be regarded as the smallest unit of life. Within the cell, there exists a fibrous network structure called the cytoskeleton. It has long been known that cells can move and replicate themselves by deforming and remodeling the cytoskeleton. However, it is still poorly understood how the cytoskeleton is self-assembled and how the cytoskeleton regulates essential cellular processes, including cell motility and division. To understand these regulatory mechanisms, I have employed a bottom-up approach: decomposing living cells into parts (proteins, lipids, etc.), then rebuilding artificial cells from these parts and exploring the conditions within which cellular functions are reconstituted. I hope this approach will uncover the basic principle of living systems.