Coacervates are condensed liquid-like droplets, usually formed with oppositely charged polymeric molecules. They have been studied extensively in colloid and interface science for their remarkable material properties. The liquid–liquid phase separation underlying coacervate formation also plays an important role in the formation of various membraneless organelles (MLOs) that are found in many living cells. Therefore, there is an increasing interest to use well-characterized coacervates as in vitro models that mimic specific aspects of MLOs. Here, we review five aspects – physical and chemical properties, hierarchical organization, uptake selectivity, formation dynamics, and maturation – that are of particular interest and discuss how useful coacervates are to better understand these aspects of MLOs.

凝聚层是冷凝的液体状液滴，通常由带相反电荷的聚合物分子形成。由于其卓越的材料性能，它们已在胶体和界面科学中进行了广泛的研究。凝聚层形成的液-液相分离在许多活细胞中发现的各种无膜细胞器（MLO）的形成中也起着重要作用。因此，人们越来越有兴趣使用特征明确的凝聚层作为模拟MLO特定方面的体外模型。在这里，我们回顾了五个特别感兴趣的方面-物理和化学性质，层次结构，吸收选择性，形成动力学和成熟-并讨论了凝聚层如何更好地理解MLO的这些方面。