Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Coacervate Behaviour in an Alternating Electric Field

Abstract

COACERVATES have been intensively investigated because of their presumed importance in the origin of life1; however, their electrical properties, representing many important processes, appear to have been relatively neglected. We have continued work by Bungenberg de Jong2 on the behaviour of coacervates in an alternating electric field, and effects similar to those reported by Heller and Texeira-Pinto3 and Füredi and Ohad4 on living cells have been observed.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Oparin, A. I., The Origin of Life on the Earth, third ed. (Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, 1957).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bungenberg de Jong, Colloid Science, 2 (Elsevier, New York, 1949).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Heller, J. H., and Texeira-Pinto, A. A., Nature, 183, 905 (1959).

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Füredi, A. A., and Ohad, I., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 79, 1 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Dervichian, D. G., and Magnant, C., Bull. Soc. Chem. Biol., 29, 660 (1947).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Schwan, H. P., Adv. Biol. Med. Phys., 5, 147 (1957).

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

SMITH, A., CHANCE, M. Coacervate Behaviour in an Alternating Electric Field. Nature 209, 74–75 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/209074a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/209074a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing