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Updated: Jan 9, 2026
10:11
Cell Co-culture Patterning Using Aqueous Two-phase Systems
Published on: March 26, 2013
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Liquid-liquid phase separation mediated order and pathological chaos: From cellular organization to precision
Lang Chen1, Zhuoping Zhuang1, Youxiang Fan1
1Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, Minhang Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
Summary
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) drives biological functions and disease. LLPS-based drug delivery systems offer precise, responsive therapeutics, advancing precision medicine.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Biophysics
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a key mechanism for forming membraneless biomolecular condensates.
- LLPS governs critical cellular processes like gene regulation, signaling, and stress responses.
- Dysregulated LLPS is implicated in diseases including cancer and neurodegeneration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively review the thermodynamic and kinetic principles of LLPS.
- To explore the role of LLPS in normal biological functions and pathological conditions.
- To analyze the design, behavior, and efficacy of LLPS-based drug delivery systems.
Main Methods:
- Review of thermodynamic and kinetic foundations of LLPS.
- Analysis of biological functions and diseases associated with LLPS.
- Systematic evaluation of LLPS-based drug delivery platforms (lipids, peptides, proteins, polymers).
Main Results:
- LLPS is essential for subcellular organization, gene expression, signal transduction, and stress responses.
- Aberrant LLPS contributes to cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and infections.
- LLPS drug delivery systems enable in-situ reservoirs, stimulus-responsive release, and synergistic delivery.
Conclusions:
- LLPS principles offer novel strategies for precision therapeutics.
- LLPS-based systems show promise for advanced drug delivery, despite challenges.
- Bridging LLPS biology with drug delivery innovation opens new therapeutic avenues.
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