Liquid-liquid phase separation: Fundamental physical principles, biological implications, and applications in supramolecular materials engineering

Zhengyu Xu; Wei Wang; Yi Cao; Bin Xue

Supramolecular Materials (Dec 2023)

Liquid-liquid phase separation: Fundamental physical principles, biological implications, and applications in supramolecular materials engineering

Zhengyu Xu,
Wei Wang,
Yi Cao,
Bin Xue

Affiliations

Zhengyu Xu: Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
Wei Wang: Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Corresponding authors at: Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
Yi Cao: Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan 250000, China; Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Corresponding authors at: Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
Bin Xue: Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan 250000, China; Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Corresponding authors at: Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 2
p. 100049

Abstract

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Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a captivating phenomenon in which a uniform mixture spontaneously divides into two liquid phases with differing component concentrations. It is prevalent in soft matter, is observed in systems involving polymers, organic molecules, and proteins, and is influenced by environmental factors and component properties. Recent recognition of LLPS within living organisms reveals its role in creating cellular compartments to orchestrate complex biochemical reactions, requiring distinct boundaries and unhindered molecular movement. Nonmembrane compartments, stemming from cytoplasmic LLPS, such as nucleoli, hold promise for synthetic cell engineering and cellular function insights. Under certain conditions, LLPS is linked to diseases such as sickle-cell disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. This review offers a concise overview of LLPS in soft matter, emphasizing its relevance in soft material engineering. We delve into fundamental mechanisms, focusing on biological systems, and explore the implications of LLPS, spanning organelles, substance exchange, molecular diffusion, and disease associations. LLPS enables soft material engineering, with applications in biomedicine and bioengineering, shaping future possibilities in bioengineering, from foundational cellular constructs to intricate artificial tissue development.

Published in Supramolecular Materials

ISSN: 2667-2405 (Online)
Publisher: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Country of publisher: China
LCC subjects: Science: Chemistry
Website: https://www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/supramolecular-materials/

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