Revision 1

Accepted · first revision · record

Title: Decisive test that a cellular body forms by phase separation
Plain: Many cellular structures look like droplets, but similar clusters can form by simple binding to a scaffold without any phase transition. A reliable experimental signature that tells them apart is needed.
Precise: Phase separation of a single component predicts concentration buffering (dilute-phase concentration fixed at $c_{\mathrm{sat}}$ as total concentration rises), a sharp threshold for droplet appearance, and coexistence behavior, while multicomponent condensates weaken buffering (Riback and co-workers, 2020). Formulate criteria that discriminate phase separation from saturable binding to scaffolds, valid for multicomponent systems, and apply them to standard examples in vivo.
Settled by: Criteria derived from multicomponent thermodynamics and tested in vivo on systems where the answer is known independently.
Kind: well-posed
Answer type: classification
References: (empty)
Literature status: contested
Status note: (empty)
Posed since: (empty)