The central limit theorem (CLT) and its generalization to stable distributions have been widely described in literature. However, many variations of the theorem have been defined and often their applicability in practical situations is not straightforward. In particular, the applicability of the CLT is essential for a derivation of heterogeneous ensemble of Brownian particles (HEBP). Here, we analyze the role of the CLT within the HEBP approach in more detail and derive the conditions under which the existing theorems are valid.

By collecting from literature data experimental evidence of anomalous diffusion of passive tracers inside cytoplasm, and in particular of subdiffusion of mRNA molecules inside live Escherichia coli cells, we obtain the probability density function of molecules’ displacement and we derive the corresponding Fokker–Planck equation. Molecules’ distribution emerges to be related to the Krätzel function and its Fokker–Planck equation to be a fractional diffusion equation in the Erdélyi–Kober sense. The irreducibility of the derived Fokker–Planck equation to those of other literature models is also discussed.

The central limit theorem (CLT) and its generalization to stable distributions have been widely described in literature. However, many variations of the theorem have been defined and often their applicability in practical situations is not straightforward. In particular, the applicability of the CLT is essential for a derivation of heterogeneous ensemble of Brownian particles (HEBP). Here, we analyze the role of the CLT within the HEBP approach in more detail and derive the conditions under which the existing theorems are valid.