SISSA, International School for Advanced Studies, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy.
Phys Rev Lett. 2014 Apr 11;112(14):147802. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.147802. Epub 2014 Apr 10.
We investigate the mechanics of an active droplet endowed with internal nematic order and surrounded by an isotropic Newtonian fluid. Using numerical simulations we demonstrate that, due to the interplay between the active stresses and the defective geometry of the nematic director, this system exhibits two of the fundamental functions of living cells: spontaneous division and motility, by means of self-generated hydrodynamic flows. These behaviors can be selectively activated by controlling a single physical parameter, namely, an active variant of the capillary number.
我们研究了一个具有内部向列有序且被各向同性牛顿流体包围的活性液滴的力学特性。通过数值模拟，我们证明由于活性应力和向列型指向矢的缺陷几何之间的相互作用，该系统表现出两种基本的生命细胞功能：通过自产生的流体动力学流实现自发分裂和运动。这些行为可以通过控制单个物理参数（即毛细管数的活性变体）有选择地激活。
