Rigid and deformable bodies in nematic liquid crystals

A nematic liquid crystal, a phase of matter composed of rod-like molecules, exhibits a tendency towards uniform molecular alignment. Bodies inserted into such a fluid can disturb this orientational order, resulting in elastic stresses in the bulk fluid, which may be relaxed by body repositioning or deformation. We review classical work on rigid particles and their interactions in nematic liquid crystals, and more recent work on the shapes and interactions of deformable bodies in this complex fluid medium.