Physical modeling of biological neural network and investigation of its dynamics

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K17721
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Mathematical physics/Fundamental condensed matter physics
• Research Institution: Chuo University
• Principal Investigator: Okano Taiji 中央大学, 理工学部, 助教 (60622082)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: Belousov-Zhabotinsky反応 / エマルション / サイズ依存性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the size dependency of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction using water in oil (W/O) emulsion droplets. The BZ reaction encapsulated in emulsion droplet was significantly influenced by the droplet volume. For example, the minimum volume at which the reaction occurred was decreased with increasing the concentration of malonic acid. Furthermore, we found that the period of oscillation also depended on the reaction volume. Next, we investigated the stability of lipid vesicles (liposomes) in the BZ reaction mixture, which is a low pH solution. We found that liposomes composed of DMPC and DSPE-PEG 2000 were stable at pH 1 - 2, whereas liposomes composed of only DMPC were broken after replacing the outer solution with acidic solution.

Free Research Field

非線形・非平衡系