Cells can move directionally along gradients of substrate stiffness- a process called durotaxis. In most studied situations, durotaxis relies on cell-substrate focal adhesions to sense stiffness and transmit forces that drive directed motion. Until recently, it was not known whether and how durotaxis could take place in the absence of focal adhesions. However, our experimental collaborators...
Active matter refers to systems that consume energy from their surroundings, converting it into forces and motion, keeping them out of equilibrium and leading to diverse phenomena, from moving crowds to bacterial biofilms. This behaviour drives collective and stochastic dynamics, often linked to biological processes.
This study presents an active system with three components: an ATP...
Ion-exchange polymers offer a versatile platform for self-phoretic active colloids. Nafion, rich in sulfonic groups, generates strong ionic gradients and electric fields during counterion exchange when immersed in water, enabling autonomous fluid pumping and propulsion. Building on our earlier work with immobilized Nafion pumps, we now extend these concepts to fully motile colloidal swimmers....
