{
  "slug": "2026-09-09-protocell-growth-division-coupling",
  "published_data": {
    "growth": [
      {
        "sheet": "Figure 4c",
        "droplets": 26,
        "time_points": 13,
        "baseline_min": 30,
        "last_min": 210.0,
        "final_mean": 6.136526784032826,
        "final_sample_sd": 2.8328006390274716,
        "final_median": 6.556127196990905,
        "final_range": [
          1.83387522415736,
          12.547474249819
        ]
      },
      {
        "sheet": "Figure 7d",
        "droplets": 45,
        "time_points": 15,
        "baseline_min": 0,
        "last_min": 280.0,
        "final_mean": 1.7129459913336151,
        "final_sample_sd": 0.1811723449443485,
        "final_median": 1.67655454295441,
        "final_range": [
          1.44318805473022,
          2.32083291416056
        ]
      }
    ],
    "paired_droplets": 14,
    "paired_rows": 294,
    "negative_concentration_estimates_preserved": 2,
    "displayed_series": "DROP0",
    "displayed_baseline_min": 30,
    "comparison_start_min": 100,
    "comparison_end_min": 200.0,
    "ratios": {
      "volume_fL": 1.3607796087164643,
      "concentration_ng_uL": 0.8397368773869663,
      "amount_proxy_fg": 1.1426968194354217
    },
    "limits": "Source time series, not image resegmentation. Figure4c begins at30min after early coalescence; its supplied endpoint is not the255min supplementary endpoint. Figure7d is a different replication system. Droplets are not independent experimental replicates. Concentration is from a calibrated optical slice; cV is conditional, not a direct total-DNA measurement. Negative estimates are preserved, not biological negative concentrations."
  },
  "constraints": {
    "equal_split_area_ratio": 1.2599210498948732,
    "four_types_two_units_each": {
      "P_no_complete_child": 0.4296875,
      "P_one_complete_child": 0.5078125,
      "P_two_complete_children": 0.0625,
      "expected_complete_children": 0.6328125
    },
    "four_types_four_units_each": {
      "P_no_complete_child": 0.041229248046875,
      "P_one_complete_child": 0.372589111328125,
      "P_two_complete_children": 0.586181640625,
      "expected_complete_children": 1.544952392578125
    },
    "one_type_two_units": {
      "P_no_complete_child": 0.0,
      "P_one_complete_child": 0.5,
      "P_two_complete_children": 0.5,
      "expected_complete_children": 1.5
    },
    "limits": "Volume conserved and constant interfacial tension for two spherical simple droplets; not applicable without modification to multilamellar droplet/vesicle fission with material loss. Partition model assumes free mixing and independent units/types, no clustering, binding, active segregation, recovery from environment or regeneration. Copy number is not DNA mass or repeat-sequence count."
  }
}