Oil droplets remodel themselves, swallow their surroundings like living cells
NYU researchers have made microscopic oil droplets in water do something usually reserved for living cells: change shape in complex, controllable ways and even engulf their surroundings.
Researchers at NYU have demonstrated that microscopic oil droplets in water can morph into complex shapes and engulf their surroundings, a behavior typically associated with living cells. Published in Nature Communications, the findings reveal that oil droplets combined with soap-like molecules can change shape in intricate ways, mimicking morphogenetic processes without the need for genetic or protein-based machinery.
Lead author Florent Fessler noted that these droplets can reshape themselves into flower-like structures, dendritic forms, dumbbells, discs, and cups, and control over their concentration or temperature allows for reversible shape transitions. Additionally, the droplets demonstrate a form of cellular uptake, folding inwards and trapping surrounding fluid, a process akin to macropinocytosis.
While the study does not suggest the creation of artificial life, it presents a controlled model for understanding the physical principles behind cellular shape-shifting and could inspire the development of self-adapting materials and smart drug delivery systems.
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