{"id":221661,"date":"2026-01-01T12:46:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T12:46:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/221661\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T12:46:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T12:46:21","slug":"do-condensates-have-bioelectric-properties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/221661\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Condensates Have Bioelectric Properties?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Original story from Scripps Research (CA, USA).<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Tiny biological batteries\u2019 can change the cell membrane\u2019s electrical properties \u2013 a discovery that has big implications for health, as many essential cellular processes hinge upon precise electrical activity.<\/p>\n

Many biological processes are regulated by electricity \u2013 from nerve impulses to heartbeats to the movement of molecules in and out of cells. A new study by Scripps Research<\/a> (CA, USA) scientists reveals a previously unknown potential regulator of this bioelectricity: droplet-like structures called condensates. Condensates are better known for their role in compartmentalizing the cell, but this study shows they can also act as tiny biological batteries that charge the cell membrane from within.<\/p>\n

The team showed that when electrically charged condensates collide with cell membranes, they change the cell membrane\u2019s voltage, which influences the amount of electrical charge flowing across the membrane, at the point of contact. The discovery highlights a new fundamental feature about how our cells work and could one day help scientists treat certain diseases.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis represents an entirely new paradigm in bioelectricity that has substantial implications for electrical regulation in biology and health,\u201d shared\u00a0Ashok Deniz<\/a>, senior author of the new paper and professor at Scripps Research.<\/p>\n

Condensates are organelles \u2013 structures within cells that carry out specific functions \u2013 but unlike more well-known organelles such as the nucleus and mitochondria, they are not enclosed within membranes. Instead, condensates are held together by a combination of molecular and electrical forces. They also occur outside of cells, such as at neuronal synapses. Condensates are involved in many essential biological processes, including compartmentalizing cells, protein assembly and signaling both within and between cells. Previous studies have also shown that condensates carry electrical charges on their surfaces, but little is known about how their electrical properties relate to cellular functions.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can think of condensates as electrically charged droplets in the cell, kind of like a tiny battery,\u201d explained first author Anthony Gurunian, a PhD candidate who is jointly advised by Deniz and Scripps Research associate professor and coauthor\u00a0Keren Lasker<\/a>. \u201cSince condensates can often be charged, we wanted to test whether they can induce voltage changes across the cell membrane.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Lipid density governs cell flexibility<\/a><\/p>\n

Lipid density has been shown to be the defining factor in membrane flexibility, potentially opening new avenues in synthetic biology.<\/p>\n

If condensates can alter the electrical properties of cell membranes, it could have big implications, because many cellular processes are controlled by changes in the cell membrane voltage. For example, ion channels \u2013 proteins that rapidly transport molecules across the cell membrane \u2013 are activated by changes in cell membrane voltage. In the nervous system, this rapid, one-directional transport of electrically charged molecules is what drives the propagation of electrical signals between nerves.<\/p>\n

To test whether condensates can alter cell membrane voltage, the researchers used cell models called Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs). To allow them to visualize changes in voltage, they stained GUV membranes with a dye that changes color in response to changes in electrical charge. Then, they put GUVs in the same vessel as lab-made condensates and photographed their interactions under the microscope.<\/p>\n

They showed that when the condensates and GUVs collided, it caused a local change in the GUV membranes\u2019 electrical charge at their point of contact. \u201cThat\u2019s one of the interesting things and novel things about this, because cell membrane voltage has been traditionally considered in terms of a larger scale property,\u201d said Deniz. \u201cLocal changes in membrane potential could have important biological implications, for example for the function of ion channels and other membrane proteins that are regulated by voltage.\u201d<\/p>\n

By varying the chemical make-up of the condensates, the researchers showed that the more electrical charge a condensate carried, the bigger its impact on cell membrane voltage. They also found that the shape of the condensates appeared to be correlated with variations in the voltage change.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn some instances, the voltages induced are quite substantial in magnitude \u2013 on the same scale as voltage changes in nerve impulses,\u201d commented Gurunian.<\/p>\n

More tests are needed to understand the precise mechanisms by which condensates cause these electrical changes, the researchers say, and to investigate the phenomenon\u2019s impact on cellular function.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that we know that condensates can locally induce these voltages, the next step is to test whether this novel physics is functionally important for cells and organisms,\u201d concluded Deniz. \u201cIf we see functional consequences, it will not only tell us something new about cell biology, but it might also help scientists engineer therapeutics in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

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