Self-assembly of stabilized droplets from liquid–liquid phase separation for higher-order structures and functions
Abstract Dynamic microscale droplets produced by liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) have emerged as appealing biomaterials due to their remarkable features. However, the instability of droplets limits the construction of population-level structures with collective behaviors. Here we first provide...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Communications Chemistry |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-024-01168-5 |
| _version_ | 1797209504431996928 |
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| author | Mehwish Naz Lin Zhang Chong Chen Shuo Yang Hongjing Dou Stephen Mann Jianwei Li |
| author_facet | Mehwish Naz Lin Zhang Chong Chen Shuo Yang Hongjing Dou Stephen Mann Jianwei Li |
| author_sort | Mehwish Naz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Dynamic microscale droplets produced by liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) have emerged as appealing biomaterials due to their remarkable features. However, the instability of droplets limits the construction of population-level structures with collective behaviors. Here we first provide a brief background of droplets in the context of materials properties. Subsequently, we discuss current strategies for stabilizing droplets including physical separation and chemical modulation. We also discuss the recent development of LLPS droplets for various applications such as synthetic cells and biomedical materials. Finally, we give insights on how stabilized droplets can self-assemble into higher-order structures displaying coordinated functions to fully exploit their potentials in bottom-up synthetic biology and biomedical applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T09:55:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d053b5be9c5d49d59e98cc13f6fc1d9e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2399-3669 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T09:55:45Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Chemistry |
| spelling | doaj.art-d053b5be9c5d49d59e98cc13f6fc1d9e2024-04-14T11:09:44ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Chemistry2399-36692024-04-017111410.1038/s42004-024-01168-5Self-assembly of stabilized droplets from liquid–liquid phase separation for higher-order structures and functionsMehwish Naz0Lin Zhang1Chong Chen2Shuo Yang3Hongjing Dou4Stephen Mann5Jianwei Li6State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityState Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityMediCity Research Laboratory, University of TurkuState Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityState Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityState Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityMediCity Research Laboratory, University of TurkuAbstract Dynamic microscale droplets produced by liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) have emerged as appealing biomaterials due to their remarkable features. However, the instability of droplets limits the construction of population-level structures with collective behaviors. Here we first provide a brief background of droplets in the context of materials properties. Subsequently, we discuss current strategies for stabilizing droplets including physical separation and chemical modulation. We also discuss the recent development of LLPS droplets for various applications such as synthetic cells and biomedical materials. Finally, we give insights on how stabilized droplets can self-assemble into higher-order structures displaying coordinated functions to fully exploit their potentials in bottom-up synthetic biology and biomedical applications.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-024-01168-5 |
| spellingShingle | Mehwish Naz Lin Zhang Chong Chen Shuo Yang Hongjing Dou Stephen Mann Jianwei Li Self-assembly of stabilized droplets from liquid–liquid phase separation for higher-order structures and functions Communications Chemistry |
| title | Self-assembly of stabilized droplets from liquid–liquid phase separation for higher-order structures and functions |
| title_full | Self-assembly of stabilized droplets from liquid–liquid phase separation for higher-order structures and functions |
| title_fullStr | Self-assembly of stabilized droplets from liquid–liquid phase separation for higher-order structures and functions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-assembly of stabilized droplets from liquid–liquid phase separation for higher-order structures and functions |
| title_short | Self-assembly of stabilized droplets from liquid–liquid phase separation for higher-order structures and functions |
| title_sort | self assembly of stabilized droplets from liquid liquid phase separation for higher order structures and functions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-024-01168-5 |
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