The tiny droplets inside your cells act like little invisible hands that fold and shape your internal wiring.
March 18, 2026
Original Paper
Condensate-mediated shape transformations of cellular membranes by capillary forces
arXiv · 2603.15904
The Takeaway
Biologists have long wondered how soft membranes inside cells get shaped into complex structures like cups and tubes. This study shows that liquid-like 'condensates' use simple surface tension to grab and manipulate these membranes, acting as internal architects.
From the abstract
Phase-separated biomolecular condensates with liquid-like properties play a key role in the organization and compartmentalization of the intracellular environment. Condensate-mediated capillary forces acting on membranes drive physiologically important reshaping of membrane-bound organelles, such as vacuoles and autophagosomes. Here, we explore condensate-mediated membrane shape transformations. We employ {\textit{in planta}} live-cell imaging, an \textit{in vitro} reconstitution system with tun