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Related Concept Videos

Thermodynamics: Chemical Potential and Activity01:10

Thermodynamics: Chemical Potential and Activity

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The effective concentration of a species in a solution can be expressed precisely in terms of its activity. Activity considers the effect of electrolytes present in the vicinity of the species of interest and depends on the ionic strength of the solution. The activity of a species is expressed as the product of molar concentration and the activity coefficient of the species.
The thermodynamic equilibrium constant is more accurately defined in terms of activity rather than concentration.
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A chemical formula presents information about the proportions of atoms constituting a particular chemical compound or molecule, mainly using symbols of elements and numbers. At times other symbols, such as dashes, parentheses, brackets, commas, plus, and minus signs, are also used. A chemical formula can be one of three types – molecular, empirical, and structural.
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Chemical equations represent the identities and relative quantities of substances involved in a chemical reaction. The substances undergoing reaction are called reactants, and their formulas are placed on the left side of the equation. The substances generated by the reaction are called products, and their formulas are placed on the right side of the equation. Plus signs (+) separate individual reactant and product formulas, and an arrow (→) separates the reactant and product (left and right)...
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A chemical reaction is a process by which the bonds in the atoms of substances are rearranged to generate new substances. Matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction—the same type and number of atoms that make up the reactants are still present in the products. Merely, the rearrangement of chemical bonds produces new compounds.
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Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy necessary for a chemical reaction to move forward. The higher the activation energy, the slower the rate of the reaction. However, adding heat to the reaction will increase the rate, since it causes molecules to move faster and increase the likelihood that molecules will collide. The collision and breaking of bonds represents the uphill phase of a reaction and generates the transition state. The transition state is an unstable high-energy state...
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Gene expression is a dynamic process that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. This interaction underlies the complex nature of biological development and the phenotypic differences observed among individuals, even among those with identical genetic makeups. Factors such as radiation, temperature, behavior, nutrition, and stress play pivotal roles in determining how genes are expressed. The concept of the reaction range is central to understanding this interaction. It posits...
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In Vitro Model of Human Cutaneous Hypertrophic Scarring using Macromolecular Crowding
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Chemically active droplets in crowded environments.

Jacques D Fries1, Roxanne Berthin1, Chengjie Luo2

  • 1PHENIX, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Physico-Chimie des Électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux (, ), 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Macromolecular crowding surprisingly shrinks chemically active droplets but expands their dense phase volume. This occurs due to interactions and particle fluxes within these nonequilibrium systems.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Soft Matter Physics

Background:

  • Biomolecular condensates organize cells via phase separation.
  • Chemically active droplets use nonequilibrium reactions for dynamic states.
  • Current models lack molecular detail, especially in crowded cellular environments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate how macromolecular crowding affects chemically active droplets.
  • Explore molecular-scale effects and transport within these condensates.
  • Understand the interplay between active droplets and crowders.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized particle-based simulations for molecular insights.
  • Employed field-based simulations to complement particle models.
  • Analyzed the combined effects of crowding, depletion interactions, and particle fluxes.

Main Results:

  • Crowding unexpectedly reduced droplet size.
  • The overall dense phase volume of the droplets increased.
  • Observed interplay between depletion, diffusion hindrance, and nonequilibrium fluxes.

Conclusions:

  • Crowding significantly alters chemically active droplet behavior.
  • Findings challenge equilibrium-based predictions for active droplets.
  • Provides insights into active droplet dynamics in realistic cellular conditions.