Dear Spiral user, We’re pleased to introduce Helix, https://helix.imperial.ac.uk/ Imperial’s new repository for research datasets. Please use Helix for all future dataset deposits. There is no change to Spiral - continue depositing as usual. For queries, contact the Research Data Management team at rdm-enquiries@imperial.ac.uk. Kind regards, the Spiral Team. The Spiral team
Two-dimensional droplet ripening in a concentration gradient
File(s)
ostwaldR(JPA).pdf (415.1 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Bressloff, Paul C
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The discovery of various membraneless subcellular structures (biological condensates) in the cytoplasm and nucleus of cells has generated considerable interest in the effects of non-equilibrium chemical reactions on liquid–liquid phase separation and droplet ripening. Examples include the suppression of droplet ripening due to ATP-driven protein phosphorylation and the spatial segregation of droplets due to regulation by protein concentration gradients. Most studies of biological phase separation have focused on 3D droplet formation, for which mean field methods can be applied. However, mean field theory breaks down in the case of 2D systems, since the concentration around a droplet varies as ln R rather than R−1, where R is the distance from the center of a droplet. In this paper we use the asymptotic theory of diffusion in domains with small holes or exclusions (strongly localized perturbations) to study the segregation of circular droplets in gradient systems. We proceed by partitioning the region outside the droplets into a set of inner regions around each droplet together with an outer region where mean-field interactions occur. Asymptotically matching the inner and outer solutions, we derive dynamical equations for the position-dependent growth and drift of droplets. We thus show how a gradient of regulatory proteins leads to the segregation of droplets to one end of the domain, as previously found for 3D droplets.
Date Issued
2020-09-11
Date Acceptance
2020-07-07
Citation
Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical, 2020, 53 (36)
URI
URL
DOI
ISSN
1751-8113
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical
Volume
53
Issue
36
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2020 IOP Publishing Ltd. This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article published in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at 10.1088/1751-8121/aba39a
Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1751-8121/aba39a
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
365002
Date Publish Online
2020-08-18