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Proteins show rotational as well as lateral diffusion across the membrane. The lateral diffusion of proteins was confirmed through the cell fusion experiment where mouse and human cells were fused, resulting in hybrid cells. When the human and mouse cells fused, the specific membrane proteins on human and mouse cells were marked with the red and green-fluorescent markers, respectively. Initially, the red and green fluorescence was located on the respective hemisphere of the cell. As time...
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Alberto Vailati1, Roberto Cerbino, Stefano Mazzoni

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In microgravity, polymer solutions exhibit scale-invariant concentration fluctuations during diffusion, confirming theoretical predictions of long-ranged correlations. These findings, observed up to millimeter scales, were previously limited by Earth's gravity.

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Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Fluid Dynamics

Background:

  • Spatial scale invariance is a key feature in natural phenomena, notably in miscible liquid diffusion.
  • Theory predicts long-ranged algebraic correlations in diffusion absent gravity, but experimental evidence is scarce due to gravitational suppression on Earth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally investigate scale invariance in diffusion processes under microgravity conditions.
  • To validate theoretical predictions regarding long-ranged correlations in polymer solutions during diffusion.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments conducted in microgravity aboard the FOTON M3 satellite.
  • Observation of dilute polymer solutions undergoing diffusion.
  • Analysis of concentration fluctuations and their relaxation times.

Main Results:

  • Observed scale-invariant concentration fluctuations in polymer solutions up to millimeter sizes.
  • Measured relaxation times as long as 1,000 seconds.
  • Scale invariance was limited only by the finite sample size, aligning with theoretical models.

Conclusions:

  • Experimental confirmation of scale invariance in diffusion-driven concentration fluctuations in microgravity.
  • Findings support theoretical predictions of long-ranged correlations in the absence of gravity.
  • Potential implications for materials growth and processing in microgravity environments.