The interplay of polar and nematic order in active matter: implications for non-equilibrium physics and biology

Active matter has played a pivotal role in advancing understanding of non-equilibrium systems, leading to a fundamental shift in the study of biophysical phenomena. The foundation of active matter research is built on assumptions regarding the symmetry of microscopic constituents. While these assumptions have been validated extensively, instances of mixed or joint symmetries are prevalent in biological systems. This review explores the coexistence of polar and nematic order in active matter, emphasizing the theoretical and experimental challenges associated with these systems. By integrating insights from recent studies, we highlight the importance of considering mixed symmetries to accurately describe biological processes. This exploration not only benefits the field of biology but could also open new horizons for non-equilibrium physics, offering a comprehensive framework for understanding complex behavior in active matter.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical

• Publication date

  2025-05-21

• Fields of study

  Biology, Physics

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1088/1751-8121/addb92arXiv 2506.05931
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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