Structure and dynamics of biological liquid crystals

Abstract

A review of thermodynamic and flow liquid crystal models is presented and applied to a wide range of biological liquid crystals (BLCs), including helicoidal plywoods, biopolymer solutions and in vivo liquid crystals. The key characteristics of liquid crystals (self-assembly, packing, defects, functionalities, processability) are discussed in relation to biological materials and the strong correspondence between different synthetic and biological materials is discussed. Viscoelastic models for nematic and chiral nematics are reviewed and discussed in terms of key parameters that facilitate understanding and quantitative information from experimental measurements. The range and consistency of the predictions demonstrates that the use of mesoscopic liquid crystal models is an efficient tool to develop the science and biomimetic applications of mesogenic biological materials.

Keywords:

• mesophases
• biological liquid crystals
• self-assembly
• rheology
• biological polymer processing

Funding

This research work was supported by the US Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Department of Energy [grant number DE-SC0001412] and by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). Edtson Emilio Herrera Valencia (EEHV) gratefully acknowledges financial fellowship support from Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT)-MEXICO [Postdoctoral Grant/000000000147870] and the Canada Government through Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT). Yogesh Kumar Murugesan (YKM) was supported by McGill Engineering Doctoral Awards and a grant from Founds de recherché du Quebec – Nature et technologies.