Artificial cell compartmentalization
The interior of living cells is crowded with macromolecules which can result in phase separation and formation of protein-rich droplets or membraneless organelles. In giant vesicles, we encapsulate macromolecules, which exhibit aqueous two-phase separation (ATPS), and investigate the membrane morphological response.
| Some reviews: | |
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| Biomolecular condensates in contact with membranes, A. Mangiarotti and R. Dimova, Annu. Rev. Biophys. 53, 319-341 (2024) [PDF] |  |
| Giant vesicles encapsulating aqueous two-phase systems: from phase diagram to membrane shape transformations, Y. Liu, R. Lipowsky and R. Dimova, Front. Chem. 7, 213 (2019) [PDF] | |
| Giant vesicles exposed to aqueous two-phase systems: Membrane wetting, budding processes, and spontaneous tubulation, R. Dimova and R. Lipowsky, Adv. Mater. Interfaces 4, 1600451 (2017) [PDF] |  |
| Lipid membranes in contact with aqueous phases of polymer solutions, R. Dimova and R. Lipowsky, Soft Matter, 8, 6409-6415 (2012) [PDF] |