Physics of liquid crystals in cell biology

TL;DR

This paper explores how liquid crystal physics is increasingly applied to understand the physical and mechanical aspects of cell biology, highlighting recent discoveries and future challenges in this interdisciplinary field.

Contribution

It reviews recent advances in applying liquid crystal physics to cell biology, emphasizing the role of orientational order and topological defects across biological scales.

Findings

Identification of liquid crystal order in cellular structures

Observation of topological defects in tissues

Integration of physical principles with cell biology

Abstract

The last decade has witnessed a rapid growth in understanding of the pivotal roles of mechanical stresses and physical forces in cell biology. As a result an integrated view of cell biology is evolving, where genetic and molecular features are scrutinized hand in hand with physical and mechanical characteristics of cells. Physics of liquid crystals has emerged as a burgeoning new frontier in cell biology over the past few years, fueled by an increasing identification of orientational order and topological defects in cell biology, spanning scales from subcellular filaments to individual cells and multicellular tissues. Here, we provide an account of most recent findings and developments together with future promises and challenges in this rapidly evolving interdisciplinary research direction.