Growing Droplets in Cells and Gels

To function effectively, living cells compartmentalize myriad chemical reactions. In the classic view, distinct functional volumes are separated by thin oily-barriers called membranes. Recently, the spontaneous sorting of cellular components into membraneless liquid-like domains has been appreciated as an alternate route to compartmentalization. 

I will review the essential physical concepts thought to underlie these biological phenomena, and outline some fundamental questions in soft matter physics that they inspire. Then, I will focus on the coupling of phase separation to elastic stresses in polymer networks. Using a series of experiments spanning living cells and synthetic materials, I will demonstrate that bulk mechanical stresses dramatically impact every stage in the life of a droplet, from nucleation and growth to ripening and dissolution. These physical phenomena suggest new mechanisms that cells could exploit to regulate phase separation, and open new routes to the assembly of functional materials.

Part of the NSCS webinar series

https://softmatterisrael.wixsite.com/nscs