Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Chirality in Nature02:30

Chirality in Nature

17.4K
Chirality is the most intriguing yet essential facet of nature, governing life’s biochemical processes and precision. It can be observed from a snail shell pattern in a macroscopic world to an amino acid, the minutest building block of life. Most of the snails around the world have right-coiled shells because of the intrinsic chirality in their genes. All the amino acids present in the human body exist in an enantiomerically pure state, except for glycine - the sole achiral amino acid.
17.4K
Properties of Enantiomers and Optical Activity02:24

Properties of Enantiomers and Optical Activity

22.5K
It is essential to understand the difference between chiral and achiral interactions and the implications thereof in optical activity and their applications. Just as our feet, which are chiral, interact uniquely with chiral objects, such as a pair of shoes, but identically with achiral socks, enantiomers of a molecule exhibit different properties only when they interact with other chiral media. An example of a significant implication from this facet is the phenomenon known as optical activity,...
22.5K
Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

17.3K
Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is...
17.3K
Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

177.4K
Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates loosely attached to one another through chemical interactions. Molecules are generally able to move about in the plane of the membrane, giving the membrane its flexible nature called fluidity. Two other features of the membrane contribute to membrane fluidity: the chemical structure of the phospholipids and the presence of cholesterol in the membrane.
177.4K
The Colloidal State01:29

The Colloidal State

28
The formation of a colloidal system is exemplified by an aqueous solution containing Cl− ions is introduced to another containing Ag+ ions, resulting in the precipitation of solid AgCl as extremely tiny crystals. Instead of settling out as a filterable precipitate, these crystals remain suspended in the liquid, showcasing a colloidal system.A colloidal system involves colloidal particles within the approximate range of 1 to 1000 nm in at least one dimension, dispersed in a medium called...
28
The Fluid Mosaic Model01:34

The Fluid Mosaic Model

181.9K
The fluid mosaic model was first proposed as a visual representation of research observations. The model comprises the composition and dynamics of membranes and serves as a foundation for future membrane-related studies. The model depicts the structure of the plasma membrane with a variety of components, which include phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These integral molecules are loosely bound, defining the cell’s border and providing fluidity for optimal function.
181.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Physics-informed stereology for estimating placental diffusive exchange capacity.

Placenta·2026
Same author

Field-induced phase transitions in ferro-antiferromagnetic diblock copolymers.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026
Same author

Image-informed modelling of microscale exchange in the human placenta.

Placenta·2026
Same author

Superdiffusion and Antidiffusion in an Aligned Active Suspension.

Physical review letters·2026
Same author

Supercoiling DNA with a free end.

Soft matter·2026
Same author

Reentrant melting of scarred odd crystals by self-shear.

Nature communications·2026
Same journal

What is active wetting?

The European physical journal. E, Soft matter·2026
Same journal

Metallic microresonator spectral modes with inhomogeneously twisted nematic in magnetic field.

The European physical journal. E, Soft matter·2026
Same journal

Perspective on the paper: GDR MiDi. On dense granular flows.

The European physical journal. E, Soft matter·2026
Same journal

Dynamics of a three-dimensional oil drop driven by a surface acoustic wave over topography.

The European physical journal. E, Soft matter·2026
Same journal

Resolvability parameters in molecular graphs of antimalarial drugs.

The European physical journal. E, Soft matter·2026
Same journal

Inertial forces and elastohydrodynamic interaction of spherical particles in wall-bounded sedimentation experiments at low <math><msub><mi>Re</mi> <mtext>P</mtext></msub></math>.

The European physical journal. E, Soft matter·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 3, 2026

An Electrochemical Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Device for Quick and Low-Voltage Color Modulation
10:33

An Electrochemical Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Device for Quick and Low-Voltage Color Modulation

Published on: February 27, 2019

9.0K

Hydrodynamic instabilities in active cholesteric liquid crystals.

Carl A Whitfield1, Tapan Chandra Adhyapak2, Adriano Tiribocchi3

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL, Coventry, UK.

The European Physical Journal. E, Soft Matter
|April 22, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Active stresses in cholesteric liquid crystals cause instability. Extensile stresses lead to spontaneous defect creation and flows, while contractile stresses show a finite threshold due to cholesteric elasticity.

Keywords:
Soft Matter: Liquid crystals

More Related Videos

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
10:35

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals

Published on: May 29, 2018

9.3K
Preparation of Liquid Crystal Networks for Macroscopic Oscillatory Motion Induced by Light
07:56

Preparation of Liquid Crystal Networks for Macroscopic Oscillatory Motion Induced by Light

Published on: September 20, 2017

12.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 3, 2026

An Electrochemical Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Device for Quick and Low-Voltage Color Modulation
10:33

An Electrochemical Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Device for Quick and Low-Voltage Color Modulation

Published on: February 27, 2019

9.0K
Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
10:35

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals

Published on: May 29, 2018

9.3K
Preparation of Liquid Crystal Networks for Macroscopic Oscillatory Motion Induced by Light
07:56

Preparation of Liquid Crystal Networks for Macroscopic Oscillatory Motion Induced by Light

Published on: September 20, 2017

12.2K

Area of Science:

  • Soft Matter Physics
  • Liquid Crystal Science
  • Active Matter Physics

Background:

  • Cholesteric liquid crystals exhibit unique helical structures.
  • Active stresses can significantly alter material properties and dynamics.
  • Understanding defect behavior in active systems is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of active stresses on cholesteric liquid crystals.
  • To analyze the stability of the helical ground state under different stress conditions.
  • To explore the role of defects in generating flows in active cholesterics.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical analysis of linear stability.
  • Numerical simulations to study non-linear consequences.
  • Investigation of stresses associated with cholesteric pitch defects.

Main Results:

  • Extensile active stresses induce linear instability without a threshold in infinite systems.
  • Contractile stresses are screened by cholesteric elasticity, resulting in a finite threshold.
  • Defects in cholesteric pitch generate threshold-less flows, similar to active nematics.
  • High extensile activity leads to spontaneous creation of defect lines and sustained active flows.

Conclusions:

  • Active stresses fundamentally change the behavior of cholesteric liquid crystals.
  • Defects play a critical role in mediating flows and pattern formation in these active systems.
  • The findings offer insights into the design and control of active soft matter systems.