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Li ZY, Chen YP, Liu HY, Li B. Three-Dimensional Chiral Morphogenesis of Active Fluids. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2024; 132:138401. [PMID: 38613297 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.132.138401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Chirality is an essential nature of biological systems. However, it remains obscure how the handedness at the microscale is translated into chiral morphogenesis at the tissue level. Here, we investigate three-dimensional (3D) tissue morphogenesis using an active fluid theory invoking chirality. We show that the coordination of achiral and chiral stresses, arising from microscopic interactions and energy input of individual cells, can engender the self-organization of 3D papillary and helical structures. The achiral active stress drives the nucleation of asterlike topological defects, which initiate 3D out-of-plane budding, followed by rodlike elongation. The chiral active stress excites vortexlike topological defects, which favor the tip spheroidization and twisting of the elongated rod. These results unravel the chiral morphogenesis observed in our experiments of 3D organoids generated by human embryonic stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Yi Li
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yun-Ping Chen
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Hao-Yu Liu
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Bo Li
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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2
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Wang W, Ren H, Zhang R. Symmetry Breaking of Self-Propelled Topological Defects in Thin-Film Active Chiral Nematics. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2024; 132:038301. [PMID: 38307071 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.132.038301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Active nematics represent a range of dense active matter systems which can engender spontaneous flows and self-propelled topological defects. Two-dimensional (2D) active nematic theory and simulation have been successful in explaining many quasi-2D experiments in which self-propelled +1/2 defects are observed to move along their symmetry axis. However, many active liquid crystals are essentially chiral nematic, but their twist mode becomes irrelevant under the 2D assumption. Here, we use theory and simulation to examine a three-dimensional active chiral nematic confined to a thin film, thus forming a quasi-2D system. We predict that the self-propelled +1/2 disclination in a curved thin film can break its mirror symmetry by moving circularly. Our prediction is confirmed by hydrodynamic simulations of thin spherical-shell and thin cylindrical-shell systems. In the spherical-shell confinement, the four emerged +1/2 disclinations exhibit rich dynamics as a function of activity and chirality. As such, we have proposed a new symmetry-breaking scenario in which self-propelled defects in quasi-2D active nematics can acquire an active angular velocity, greatly enriching their dynamics for finer control and emerging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqiang Wang
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Haijie Ren
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
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3
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Zhang Y, Zhang X, Li Z, Zhao W, Yang H, Zhao S, Tang D, Zhang Q, Li Z, Liu H, Li H, Li B, Lappalainen P, Xu T, Cui Z, Jiu Y. Single particle tracking reveals SARS-CoV-2 regulating and utilizing dynamic filopodia for viral invasion. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2023; 68:2210-2224. [PMID: 37661543 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Although severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) entry mechanism has been explored, little is known about how SARS-CoV-2 regulates the subcellular structural remodeling to invade multiple organs and cell types. Here, we unveil how SARS-CoV-2 boosts and utilizes filopodia to enter the target cells by real-time imaging. Using SARS-CoV-2 single virus-like particle (VLP) tracking in live cells and sparse deconvolution algorithm, we uncover that VLPs utilize filopodia to reach the entry site in two patterns, "surfing" and "grabbing", which avoid the virus from randomly searching on the plasma membrane. Moreover, combining mechanical simulation, we elucidate that the formation of virus-induced filopodia and the retraction speed of filopodia depend on cytoskeleton dynamics and friction resistance at the substrate surface caused by loading-virus gravity, respectively. Further, we discover that the entry process of SARS-CoV-2 via filopodia depends on Cdc42 activity and actin-associated proteins fascin, formin, and Arp2/3. Together, our results highlight that the spatial-temporal regulation of actin cytoskeleton by SARS-CoV-2 infection makes filopodia as a highway for virus entry and potentiates it as an antiviral target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- Unit of Cell Biology and Imaging Study of Pathogen Host Interaction, The Center for Microbes, Development and Health, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zhongyi Li
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Weisong Zhao
- Innovation Photonics and Imaging Center, School of Instrumentation Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Hui Yang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Shuangshuang Zhao
- Unit of Cell Biology and Imaging Study of Pathogen Host Interaction, The Center for Microbes, Development and Health, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Daijiao Tang
- Unit of Cell Biology and Imaging Study of Pathogen Host Interaction, The Center for Microbes, Development and Health, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Unit of Cell Biology and Imaging Study of Pathogen Host Interaction, The Center for Microbes, Development and Health, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Zonghong Li
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou 510005, China
| | | | - Haoyu Li
- Innovation Photonics and Imaging Center, School of Instrumentation Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Bo Li
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Pekka Lappalainen
- Institute of Biotechnology and Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Tao Xu
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou 510005, China
| | - Zongqiang Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Yaming Jiu
- Unit of Cell Biology and Imaging Study of Pathogen Host Interaction, The Center for Microbes, Development and Health, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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4
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Tiribocchi A, Durve M, Lauricella M, Montessori A, Succi S. Spontaneous motion of a passive fluid droplet in an active microchannel. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:6556-6568. [PMID: 37599649 PMCID: PMC10467333 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00561e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
We numerically study the dynamics of a passive fluid droplet confined within a microchannel whose walls are covered with a thin layer of active gel. The latter represents a fluid of extensile material modelling, for example, a suspension of cytoskeletal filaments and molecular motors. Our results show that the layer is capable of producing a spontaneous flow triggering a rectilinear motion of the passive droplet. For a hybrid design (a single wall covered by the active layer), at the steady state the droplet attains an elliptical shape, resulting from an asymmetric saw-toothed structure of the velocity field. In contrast, if the active gel covers both walls, the velocity field exhibits a fully symmetric pattern considerably mitigating morphological deformations. We further show that the structure of the spontaneous flow in the microchannel can be controlled by the anchoring conditions of the active gel at the wall. These findings are also confirmed by selected 3D simulations. Our results may stimulate further research addressed to design novel microfludic devices whose functioning relies on the collective properties of active gels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Tiribocchi
- Istituto per le Applicazioni del Calcolo CNR, via dei Taurini 19, 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Mihir Durve
- Center for Life Nano Science@La Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161, Roma, Italy
| | - Marco Lauricella
- Istituto per le Applicazioni del Calcolo CNR, via dei Taurini 19, 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Andrea Montessori
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Informatica e delle Tecnologie Aeronautiche (DICITA), Università degli studi Roma Tre, Via Vito Volterra 62, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Sauro Succi
- Istituto per le Applicazioni del Calcolo CNR, via dei Taurini 19, 00185 Rome, Italy.
- Center for Life Nano Science@La Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161, Roma, Italy
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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5
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Caprini L, Löwen H, Marini Bettolo Marconi U. Chiral active matter in external potentials. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:6234-6246. [PMID: 37555622 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00793f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the interplay between chirality and confinement induced by the presence of an external potential. For potentials having radial symmetry, the circular character of the trajectories induced by the chiral motion reduces the spatial fluctuations of the particle, thus providing an extra effective confining mechanism, that can be interpreted as a lowering of the effective temperature. In the case of non-radial potentials, for instance, with an elliptic shape, chirality displays a richer scenario. Indeed, the chirality can break the parity symmetry of the potential that is always fulfilled in the non-chiral system. The probability distribution displays a strong non-Maxwell-Boltzmann shape that emerges in cross-correlations between the two Cartesian components of the position, that vanishes in the absence of chirality or when radial symmetry of the potential is restored. These results are obtained by considering two popular models in active matter, i.e. chiral Active Brownian particles and chiral active Ornstein-Uhlenbeck particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Caprini
- Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Institut für Theoretische Physik II - Weiche Materie, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Hartmut Löwen
- Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Institut für Theoretische Physik II - Weiche Materie, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Umberto Marini Bettolo Marconi
- Scuola di Scienze e Tecnologie, Università di Camerino - via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032, Camerino, Italy
- INFN Sezione di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy.
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6
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Hoffmann LA, Carenza LN, Giomi L. Tuneable defect-curvature coupling and topological transitions in active shells. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:3423-3435. [PMID: 37129899 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01370c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Recent experimental observations have suggested that topological defects can facilitate the creation of sharp features in developing embryos. Whereas these observations echo established knowledge about the interplay between geometry and topology in two-dimensional passive liquid crystals, the role of activity has mostly remained unexplored. In this article we focus on deformable shells consisting of either polar or nematic active liquid crystals and demonstrate that activity renders the mechanical coupling between defects and curvature much more involved and versatile than previously thought. Using a combination of linear stability analysis and three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics, we demonstrate that such a coupling can in fact be tuned, depending on the type of liquid crystal order, the specific structure of the defect (i.e. asters or vortices) and the nature of the active forces. In polar systems, this can drive a spectacular transition from spherical to toroidal topology, in the presence of large extensile activity. Our analysis strengthens the idea that defects could serve as topological morphogens and provides a number of predictions that could be tested in in vitro studies, for instance in the context of organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludwig A Hoffmann
- Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Livio Nicola Carenza
- Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Luca Giomi
- Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
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7
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Kralj N, Ravnik M, Kos Ž. Defect Line Coarsening and Refinement in Active Nematics. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 130:128101. [PMID: 37027875 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.130.128101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Active matter is naturally out of equilibrium which results in the emergence of diverse dynamic steady states, including the omnipresent chaotic state known as the active turbulence. However, much less is known how active systems dynamically depart out of these configurations, such as get excited or damped to a different dynamic steady state. In this Letter, we demonstrate the coarsening and refinement dynamics of topological defect lines in three-dimensional active nematic turbulence. Specifically, using theory and numerical modeling, we are able to predict the evolution of the active defect density away from the steady state due to time-dependent activity or viscoelastic material properties, establishing a single length scale phenomenological description of defect line coarsening and refinement in a three-dimensional active nematic. The approach is first applied to growth dynamics of a single active defect loop, and then to a full three-dimensional active defect network. More generally, this Letter provides insight into the general coarsening phenomena between dynamical regimes in 3D active matter, with a possible analogy in other physical systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nika Kralj
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miha Ravnik
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Condensed Matter Physics Department, J. Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Žiga Kos
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Condensed Matter Physics Department, J. Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima 739-8511, Japan
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8
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Negro G, Carenza LN, Gonnella G, Marenduzzo D, Orlandini E. Topological phases and curvature-driven pattern formation in cholesteric shells. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:1987-2000. [PMID: 36847796 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01347a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We study the phase behaviour of cholesteric liquid crystal shells with different geometries. We compare the cases of tangential anchoring and no anchoring at the surface, focussing on the former case, which leads to a competition between the intrinsic tendency of the cholesteric to twist and the anchoring free energy which suppresses it. We then characterise the topological phases arising close to the isotropic-cholesteric transition. These typically consist of quasi-crystalline or amorphous tessellations of the surface by half-skyrmions, which are stable at lower and larger shell sizes, respectively. For ellipsoidal shells, defects in the tessellation couple to a local curvature, and according to the shell size, they either migrate to the poles or distribute uniformly on the surface. For toroidal shells, the variations in the local curvature of the surface stabilise heterogeneous phases where cholesteric or isotropic patterns coexist with hexagonal lattices of half-skyrmions.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Negro
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Bari and INFN, Sezione di Bari, via Amendola 173, Bari, I-70126, Italy
| | - L N Carenza
- Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - G Gonnella
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Bari and INFN, Sezione di Bari, via Amendola 173, Bari, I-70126, Italy
| | - D Marenduzzo
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
| | - E Orlandini
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
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9
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Krommydas D, Carenza LN, Giomi L. Hydrodynamic Enhancement of p-atic Defect Dynamics. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 130:098101. [PMID: 36930922 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.130.098101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We investigate numerically and analytically the effects of hydrodynamics on the dynamics of topological defects in p-atic liquid crystals, i.e., two-dimensional liquid crystals with p-fold rotational symmetry. Importantly, we find that hydrodynamics fuels a generic passive self-propulsion mechanism for defects of winding number s=(p-1)/p and arbitrary p. Strikingly, we discover that hydrodynamics always accelerates the annihilation dynamics of pairs of ±1/p defects and that, contrary to expectations, this effect increases with p. Our Letter paves the way toward understanding cell intercalation and other remodeling events in epithelial layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Krommydas
- Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Livio Nicola Carenza
- Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Luca Giomi
- Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
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10
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The crucial role of adhesion in the transmigration of active droplets through interstitial orifices. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1096. [PMID: 36841803 PMCID: PMC9968312 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36656-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Active fluid droplets are a class of soft materials exhibiting autonomous motion sustained by an energy supply. Such systems have been shown to capture motility regimes typical of biological cells and are ideal candidates as building-block for the fabrication of soft biomimetic materials of interest in pharmacology, tissue engineering and lab on chip devices. While their behavior is well established in unconstrained environments, much less is known about their dynamics under strong confinement. Here, we numerically study the physics of a droplet of active polar fluid migrating within a microchannel hosting a constriction with adhesive properties, and report evidence of a striking variety of dynamic regimes and morphological features, whose properties crucially depend upon droplet speed and elasticity, degree of confinement within the constriction and adhesiveness to the pore. Our results suggest that non-uniform adhesion forces are instrumental in enabling the crossing through narrow orifices, in contrast to larger gaps where a careful balance between speed and elasticity is sufficient to guarantee the transition. These observations may be useful for improving the design of artificial micro-swimmers, of interest in material science and pharmaceutics, and potentially for cell sorting in microfluidic devices.
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11
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Ruske LJ, Yeomans JM. Activity-driven tissue alignment in proliferating spheroids. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:921-931. [PMID: 36625444 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01239a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
We extend the continuum theory of active nematic fluids to study cell flows and tissue dynamics inside multicellular spheroids, spherical, self-assembled aggregates of cells that are widely used as model systems to study tumour dynamics. Cells near the surface of spheroids have better access to nutrients and therefore proliferate more rapidly than those in the resource-depleted core. Using both analytical arguments and three-dimensional simulations, we find that the proliferation gradients result in flows and in gradients of activity both of which can align the orientation axis of cells inside the aggregates. Depending on environmental conditions and the intrinsic tissue properties, we identify three distinct alignment regimes: spheroids in which all the cells align either radially or tangentially to the surface throughout the aggregate and spheroids with angular cell orientation close to the surface and radial alignment in the core. The continuum description of tissue dynamics inside spheroids not only allows us to infer dynamic cell parameters from experimentally measured cell alignment profiles, but more generally motivates novel mechanisms for controlling the alignment of cells within aggregates which has been shown to influence the mechanical properties and invasive capabilities of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam J Ruske
- Rudolf Peierls Centre For Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, UK.
| | - Julia M Yeomans
- Rudolf Peierls Centre For Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, UK.
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12
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Zhang YH, Yao Z. Alignment rule and geometric confinement lead to stability of a vortex in active flow. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2023; 46:4. [PMID: 36682015 DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-023-00260-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Vortices are hallmarks of a wide range of nonequilibrium phenomena in fluids at multiple length scales. In this work, we numerically study the whirling motion of self-propelled soft point particles confined in circular domain, and aim at addressing the stability issue of the coherent vortex structure. By the combination of dynamical and statistical analysis at the individual particle level, we reveal the persistence of the whirling motion resulting from the subtle competition of activity and geometric confinement. In the stable whirling motion, the scenario of the coexistence of the irregular microscopic motions of individual particles and the regular global whirling motion is fundamentally different from the motion of a vortex in passive fluid. Possible orientational order coexisting with the whirling are further explored. This work shows the stability mechanism of vortical dynamics in active media under the alignment rule in confined space and may have implications in creating and harnessing macroscale coherent dynamical states by tuning the confining geometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Heng Zhang
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Zhenwei Yao
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
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13
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Chaithanya KVS, Shenoy SA, Dayal P. Hydrodynamics of a confined active Belousov-Zhabotinsky droplet. Phys Rev E 2022; 106:065103. [PMID: 36671180 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.106.065103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Self-sustained locomotion of synthetic droplet swimmers has been of great interest due to their ability to mimic the behavior of biological swimmers. Here we harness the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction to induce Marangoni stresses on the fluid-droplet interface and elucidate the spontaneous locomotion of active BZ droplets in a confined two-dimensional channel. Our approach employs the lattice Boltzmann method to simulate a coupled system of multiphase hydrodynamics and BZ-reaction kinetics. Our investigation reveals the mechanism underlying the propulsion of active BZ droplets, in terms of convective and diffusive fluxes and deformation of the droplets. Furthermore, we demonstrate that by manipulating the degree of confinement, strength, and nature of coupling between surface tension and active species' concentration, the motion of the BZ droplet can be directed. In addition, we are able to capture two different kinds of droplet behaviors, namely, sustained and stationary, and establish conditions for the sustained long-time motion. We envisage that our findings can be used not only to understand the mechanics of biological swimmers but also to design reaction-driven self-propelled systems for a variety of biomimetic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- K V S Chaithanya
- Polymer Engineering Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382055, India
| | - Shreyas A Shenoy
- Polymer Engineering Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382055, India
| | - Pratyush Dayal
- Polymer Engineering Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382055, India
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14
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Houston AJH, Alexander GP. Defect loops in three-dimensional active nematics as active multipoles. Phys Rev E 2022; 105:L062601. [PMID: 35854622 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.105.l062601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We develop a description of defect loops in three-dimensional active nematics based on a multipole expansion of the far-field director and show how this leads to a self-dynamics dependent on the loop's geometric type. The dipole term leads to active stresses that generate a global self-propulsion for splay and bend loops. The quadrupole moment is nonzero only for nonplanar loops and generates a net "active torque," such that defect loops are both self-motile and self-orienting. Our analysis identifies right- and left-handed twist loops as the only force- and torque-free geometries, suggesting a mechanism for generating an excess of twist loops. Finally, we determine the Stokesian flows created by defect loops and describe qualitatively their hydrodynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J H Houston
- Department of Physics, Gibbet Hill Road, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth P Alexander
- Department of Physics, Gibbet Hill Road, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
- Centre for Complexity Science, Zeeman Building, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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15
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Hoffmann LA, Carenza LN, Eckert J, Giomi L. Theory of defect-mediated morphogenesis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabk2712. [PMID: 35427161 PMCID: PMC9012457 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk2712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Growing experimental evidence indicates that topological defects could serve as organizing centers in the morphogenesis of tissues. Here, we provide a quantitative explanation for this phenomenon, rooted in the buckling theory of deformable active polar liquid crystals. Using a combination of linear stability analysis and computational fluid dynamics, we demonstrate that active layers, such as confined cell monolayers, are unstable to the formation of protrusions in the presence of disclinations. The instability originates from an interplay between the focusing of the elastic forces, mediated by defects, and the renormalization of the system's surface tension by the active flow. The posttransitional regime is also characterized by several complex morphodynamical processes, such as oscillatory deformations, droplet nucleation, and active turbulence. Our findings offer an explanation of recent observations on tissue morphogenesis and shed light on the dynamics of active surfaces in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludwig A. Hoffmann
- Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Livio Nicola Carenza
- Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Julia Eckert
- Physics of Life Processes, Leiden Institute of Physics, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Luca Giomi
- Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA, Leiden, Netherlands
- Corresponding author.
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16
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Burada PS, Maity R, Jülicher F. Hydrodynamics of chiral squirmers. Phys Rev E 2022; 105:024603. [PMID: 35291102 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.105.024603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Many microorganisms take a chiral path while swimming in an ambient fluid. In this paper we study the combined behavior of two chiral swimmers using the well-known squirmer model taking into account chiral asymmetries. In contrast to the simple squirmer model, which has an axisymmetric distribution of slip velocity, the chiral squirmer has additional asymmetries in the surface slip, which contribute to both translations and rotations of the motion. As a result, swimming trajectories can become helical and chiral asymmetries arise in the flow patterns. We study the swimming trajectories of a pair of chiral squirmers that interact hydrodynamically. This interaction can lead to attraction and repulsion, and in some cases even to bounded states where the swimmers continue to periodically orbit around a common average trajectory. Such bound states are a signature of the chiral nature of the swimmers. Our study could be relevant to the collective movements of ciliated microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- P S Burada
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - R Maity
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - F Jülicher
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Nöthnitzer Str. 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
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17
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Carenza LN, Gonnella G, Marenduzzo D, Negro G, Orlandini E. Cholesteric Shells: Two-Dimensional Blue Fog and Finite Quasicrystals. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 128:027801. [PMID: 35089738 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.128.027801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We study the phase behavior of a quasi-two-dimensional cholesteric liquid crystal shell. We characterize the topological phases arising close to the isotropic-cholesteric transition and show that they differ in a fundamental way from those observed on a flat geometry. For spherical shells, we discover two types of quasi-two-dimensional topological phases: finite quasicrystals and amorphous structures, both made up of mixtures of polygonal tessellations of half-skyrmions. These structures generically emerge instead of regular double twist lattices because of geometric frustration, which disallows a regular hexagonal tiling of curved space. For toroidal shells, the variations in the local curvature of the surface stabilizes heterogeneous phases where cholesteric patterns coexist with hexagonal lattices of half-skyrmions. Quasicrystals and amorphous and heterogeneous structures could be sought experimentally by self-assembling cholesteric shells on the surface of emulsion droplets.
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Affiliation(s)
- L N Carenza
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Bari and INFN, Sezione di Bari, via Amendola 173, Bari I-70126, Italy
- Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - G Gonnella
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Bari and INFN, Sezione di Bari, via Amendola 173, Bari I-70126, Italy
| | - D Marenduzzo
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, United Kingdom
| | - G Negro
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Bari and INFN, Sezione di Bari, via Amendola 173, Bari I-70126, Italy
| | - E Orlandini
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Padova and INFN, Sezione di Padova, Via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padova, Italy
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18
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Lavrentovich OD. Design of nematic liquid crystals to control microscale dynamics. LIQUID CRYSTALS REVIEWS 2021; 8:59-129. [PMID: 34956738 PMCID: PMC8698256 DOI: 10.1080/21680396.2021.1919576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The dynamics of small particles, both living such as swimming bacteria and inanimate, such as colloidal spheres, has fascinated scientists for centuries. If one could learn how to control and streamline their chaotic motion, that would open technological opportunities in the transformation of stored or environmental energy into systematic motion, with applications in micro-robotics, transport of matter, guided morphogenesis. This review presents an approach to command microscale dynamics by replacing an isotropic medium with a liquid crystal. Orientational order and associated properties, such as elasticity, surface anchoring, and bulk anisotropy, enable new dynamic effects, ranging from the appearance and propagation of particle-like solitary waves to self-locomotion of an active droplet. By using photoalignment, the liquid crystal can be patterned into predesigned structures. In the presence of the electric field, these patterns enable the transport of solid and fluid particles through nonlinear electrokinetics rooted in anisotropy of conductivity and permittivity. Director patterns command the dynamics of swimming bacteria, guiding their trajectories, polarity of swimming, and distribution in space. This guidance is of a higher level of complexity than a simple following of the director by rod-like microorganisms. Namely, the director gradients mediate hydrodynamic interactions of bacteria to produce an active force and collective polar modes of swimming. The patterned director could also be engraved in a liquid crystal elastomer. When an elastomer coating is activated by heat or light, these patterns produce a deterministic surface topography. The director gradients define an activation force that shapes the elastomer in a manner similar to the active stresses triggering flows in active nematics. The patterned elastomer substrates could be used to define the orientation of cells in living tissues. The liquid-crystal guidance holds a major promise in achieving the goal of commanding microscale active flows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg D Lavrentovich
- Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute, Department of Physics, Materials Science Graduate Program, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
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Chen HQ, Wang XY, Bisoyi HK, Chen LJ, Li Q. Liquid Crystals in Curved Confined Geometries: Microfluidics Bring New Capabilities for Photonic Applications and Beyond. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:3789-3807. [PMID: 33775094 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The quest for interesting properties and phenomena in liquid crystals toward their employment in nondisplay application is an intense and vibrant endeavor. Remarkable progress has recently been achieved with regard to liquid crystals in curved confined geometries, typically represented as enclosed spherical geometries and cylindrical geometries with an infinitely extended axial-symmetrical space. Liquid-crystal emulsion droplets and fibers are intriguing examples from these fields and have attracted considerable attention. It is especially noteworthy that the rapid development of microfluidics brings about new capabilities to generate complex soft microstructures composed of both thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystals. This review attempts to outline the recent developments related to the liquid crystals in curved confined geometries by focusing on microfluidics-mediated approaches. We highlight a wealth of novel photonic applications and beyond and also offer perspectives on the challenges, opportunities, and new directions for future development in this emerging research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Qing Chen
- Department of Electronic Engineering, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province 361005, China
| | - Xi-Yuan Wang
- Department of Electronic Engineering, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province 361005, China
| | - Hari Krishna Bisoyi
- Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, United States
| | - Lu-Jian Chen
- Department of Electronic Engineering, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province 361005, China
| | - Quan Li
- Institute of Advanced Materials and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 211189, China
- Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, United States
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Wei B, Hou J, Sukop MC, Du Q, Wang H. Flow behaviors of emulsions in constricted capillaries: A lattice Boltzmann simulation study. Chem Eng Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2020.115925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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21
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Carenza LN, Gonnella G, Lamura A, Marenduzzo D, Negro G, Tiribocchi A. Soft channel formation and symmetry breaking in exotic active emulsions. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15936. [PMID: 32985576 PMCID: PMC7522284 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72742-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We use computer simulations to study the morphology and rheological properties of a bidimensional emulsion resulting from a mixture of a passive isotropic fluid and an active contractile polar gel, in the presence of a surfactant that favours the emulsification of the two phases. By varying the intensity of the contractile activity and of an externally imposed shear flow, we find three possible morphologies. For low shear rates, a simple lamellar state is obtained. For intermediate activity and shear rate, an asymmetric state emerges, which is characterized by shear and concentration banding at the polar/isotropic interface. A further increment in the active forcing leads to the self-assembly of a soft channel where an isotropic fluid flows between two layers of active material. We characterize the stability of this state by performing a dynamical test varying the intensity of the active forcing and shear rate. Finally, we address the rheological properties of the system by measuring the effective shear viscosity, finding that this increases as active forcing is increased-so that the fluid thickens with activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- L N Carenza
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Srudi di Bari and INFN, Sezione di Bari, Via Amendola 173, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - G Gonnella
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Srudi di Bari and INFN, Sezione di Bari, Via Amendola 173, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - A Lamura
- IAC - CNR, Via Amendola, 122/D, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - D Marenduzzo
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
| | - G Negro
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK.
| | - A Tiribocchi
- Center for Life Nano Science@La Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161, Rome, Italy.,IAC - CNR, Via dei Taurini 19, Rome, Italy
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22
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Fadda F, Molina JJ, Yamamoto R. Dynamics of a chiral swimmer sedimenting on a flat plate. Phys Rev E 2020; 101:052608. [PMID: 32575256 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.101.052608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional simulations with fully resolved hydrodynamics are performed to study the dynamics of a single squirmer with and without gravity to clarify its motion in the vicinity of a flat plate. In the absence of gravity and chirality, the usual dynamics of a squirmer near a wall are recovered. The introduction of chirality modifies the swimming motion of squirmers, adding a component of motion in the third direction. When sedimentation is considered, different dynamics emerge for different gravity strength regimes. In a moderate gravity regime, neutral squirmers and pullers eventually stop moving and reorient in a direction perpendicular to the plate; by contrast, pushers exhibit continuous motion in a tilted direction. In the strong gravity regime, all squirmers sediment and reorient perpendicular to the plate. In this study, chirality is introduced to model realistic microswimmers, and its crucial effects on the nature of squirmer trajectories, which change from straight to circular, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Fadda
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
| | - John Jairo Molina
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
| | - Ryoichi Yamamoto
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
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