Cellular processes adapt to the environmental conditions, so as protein interactions adapt to the cellular context. Similarly to conformational ensembles of protein structures, the bound state of proteins must also be represented by an ensemble of bound conformations, which in addition to structural variations often involves variations in contact patterns.

Proteins can also populate other states in addition to their native states. At the high concentrations present in the cell most proteins form condensed states, which can be solid-like, known as the amyloid state and liquid-like, referred to as the droplet state. Thus, we should consider the droplet state as a fundamental state of proteins along with the native state and the amyloid state.

The condensed state of protein condensation contributes to an astonishing range of physiological processes. The failures in the regulation of condensed states, however, may lead to dysfunctional protein assemblies that could be involved in a range of pathological processes.