Progress in Phase Separation Research Inspired by Intracellular Phase Separation

Abstract

Phase separation of polymer solutions is one of the major topics in polymer science and soft matter physics. In recent years, attention to intracellular phase separation has brought new challenges to phase separation research. For example, it was unclear whether the micrometer-sized space of cells alters phase separation. To answer this question, we studied the phase separation of polymer blends in artificial cells and compared it with in vitro. As a result, the thermal equilibrium state of polymer blends in artificial cells is different from that in vitro due to the effects of the cell membrane and the enhanced polydispersity of polymer chain lengths. These results strongly suggest that the conventional theory, which is independent of system size, needs to be revised and the microscopic properties of the polymers should be considered. Addressing research questions inspired by intracellular phase separation should deepen our understanding of phase separation and phase transitions.