SKM 2023 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 29: Statistical Physics of Biological Systems II (joint session BP/DY)
BP 29.5: Talk
Friday, March 31, 2023, 10:30–10:45, BAR Schö
Anomalous dynamics of differentiated droplets — •Xi Chen1, Frank Jülicher2, Jens-Uwe Sommer1, and Tyler Harmon1 — 1Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden, Institut Theory der Polymere 01069 Dsden — 2Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme, 01187 Dresden
Membraneless compartments formed by liquid-liquid phase separation in cells behave like droplets and take part in various biological processes. The function of these droplets are largely dependent on their components. We previously showed with a theoretical model that droplets can undergo a differentiation process where a homogeneous population of droplets converts into two coexisting types of droplets. We proposed this allows droplet specialization similar to cell differentiation.
These differentiated droplets exhibit new features and anomalous dynamics. Like a normal droplet system where droplets ripen and merge into one big droplet, this differentiation can significantly accelerate this Ostwald ripening. This happens with the caveat that instead of ripening into one droplet, it ripens into two droplets of different types with a competing reverse Ostwald ripening process. Unexpectedly, these differentiated droplets divide and repel each other over long distances.