Yanagisawa Miho

Introduction Click to copy section linkSection link copied! Cells maintain high concentrations of macromolecules, where a range of 50–400 mg/mL is usually assumed to be physiological. (1−3) These molecules take up space, and their steric repulsion excludes volume, which is called macromolecular crowding. (4) Crowding excludes volume, which increases the effective concentration of a specific macromolecule. Thereby, association equilibriums shift to self-assembled or bound states, for example.

Inspired by ancient imperial ceremonies and events, Kyoto Hina Ningyo (Hina dolls) are elegant and refined. March 3 is Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) day in Japan. In families with daughters, Hina Ningyo are displayed to express a wish for their healthy growth. This custom spread in the Edo period (early seventeenth to middle of the nineteenth century).