Cellular metabolism and colloids: realistically linking physiology and biological physical chemistry

BAGATOLLI, LUIS A.; MANGIAROTTI, AGUSTIN; STOCK, ROBERTO P.

PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2020

0079-6107

span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri;">Important concepts from colloidal physicalchemistry such as coacervation, phase transitions, emergent properties andionic association, are currently emerging in the lexicon of cellular biology,prompted mostly by recent experimental observations of liquid phase coexistencein the cell cytosol. Nevertheless, from an historical point of view, theapplication of these concepts in cell biology is not new. They were key conceptsinto the so-called protoplasmic doctrine, an alternative (and largelyforgotten) approach to cell physiology. The most complete theory originatingfrom this line of thinking was the Association-Induction Hypothesis (AIH),introduced by Gilbert N. Ling in 1962. The AIH, which envisions living cells ascomplex dynamical colloidal systems, provides ample theory and experimentalevidence to call into question the now dominant view of living cells asfluid-filled vesicles. This review attempts to present and discuss theusefulnes