Phase transitions and size scaling of membrane-less organelles

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319 Scopus citations

Abstract

The coordinated growth of cells and their organelles is a fundamental and poorly understood problem, with implications for processes ranging from embryonic development to oncogenesis. Recent experiments have shed light on the cell size-dependent assembly of membrane-less cytoplasmic and nucleoplasmic structures, including ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules and other intracellular bodies. Many of these structures behave as condensed liquid-like phases of the cytoplasm/nucleoplasm. The phase transitions that appear to govern their assembly exhibit an intrinsic dependence on cell size, and may explain the size scaling reported for a number of structures. This size scaling could, in turn, play a role in cell growth and size control.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)875-881
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Cell Biology
Volume203
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 23 2013
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Cell Biology

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