Cell surface membranes have long been characterized as two-dimensional fluids whose mobile components are randomized by diffusion in the plane of the membrane bilayer. Recent research has indicated that cell surface membranes are highly organized and ordered and that important functional units of membranes appear as arrays of interacting molecules rather than as single, freely diffusing molecules. Mobility and Proximity in Biological Membranes provides an overview of the results obtained from biophysical methods for probing the organization of cell surface membranes. These results are presented in the context of detailed treatments of the theory and the technical demands of each of the methods. The book describes a versatile and easily applied mode for investigating molecular proximities in plasma membranes in a flow cytometer. Its analysis of lipid fluidity and viscosity of membranes and the rotational mobility of proteins offers intimate insight into the physical chemistry of biological membranes. The electrophysiology of lymphocytes is presented with focus on its importance in different diseases. New techniques are described, and new data, new possibilities, and future trends are presented by world experts. This book's chapters can serve both as guides to the existing literature and as starting points for new experiments and approaches associated with problems in membrane function.

Membrane permeability is fundamental to all cell biology and subcellular biology. The cell exists as a closed unit. Import and export depend upon a number of sophisticated mechanisms, such as active transport, endocytosis, exocytosis, and passive diffusion. These systems are critical for the normal housekeeping physiological functions. However, access to the cell is also taken advantage of by toxic microbes (such as cholera or ptomaine) and when designing drugs. Ernest Overton, one of the pioneers in lipid membrane research, put forward the first comprehensive theory of lipid membrane structure. His most quoted paper on the osmotic properties of cells laid the foundation for the modern concepts of membrane function, most notably important in anesthesia. This book is designed to celebrate the centennial anniversary (in the first chapter) of Overton's work. Subsequent chapters present readers with up-to-date concepts of membrane structure and function and the challenge they pose for new explorations. Provides an historical perspective of Overton's contributions to the theory of narcosis Presents an overview of each permeability mechanism, including active transport, endocytosis, exocytosis, and passive diffusion

The plasma membrane acts as both a boundary and a site of exchange between the outside and the inside of a cell. The cytoskeleton plays essential roles in delineating membrane protein distributions, in defining structural and functional domains in the plasma membrane, and in regulating membrane protein, and ultimately, cell function. This volume reviews the regulation of membrane protein distribution, organization, and function at the plasma membrane by the cytoskeleton. Discussions also include the roles of cytoskeleton in the structural and functional organization of membranes and membrane proteins with emphasis on key problems, the current status of understanding, experimental approaches, and future directions.

This volume brings together information on membrane organization and dynamics from a variety of spectroscopic, microscopic and simulation approaches, spanning a broad range of time scales. The implication of such dynamic information on membrane function in health and disease is a topic of contemporary interest. The chapters cover various aspects of membrane lipid and protein dynamics, explored using a battery of experimental and theoretical approaches. The synthesis of information and knowledge gained by utilizing multiple approaches will provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the underlying membrane dynamics and function, which will help to develop robust dynamic models for the understanding of membrane function in healthy and diseased states. In the last few years, crystal structures of an impressive number of membrane proteins have been reported, thanks to tremendous advances in membrane protein crystallization techniques. Some of these recently solved structures belong to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, which are particularly difficult to crystallize due to their intrinsic flexibility. Nonetheless, these static structures do not provide the necessary information to understand the function of membrane proteins in the complex membrane milieu. This volume will address the dynamic nature of membrane proteins within the membrane and will provide the reader with an up-to date overview of the theory and practical approaches that can be used. This volume will be invaluable to researchers working in a wide range of scientific areas, from biochemistry and molecular biology to biophysics and protein science. Students of these fields will also find this volume very useful. This book will also be of great use to those who are interested in the dynamic nature of biological processes.

This keenly awaited first overview of the field represents a complete guide to the structure and function of the most important mammalian cell membrane organelles. Filling a huge gap in the primary literature, this book is the first to cover the subject in detail. Following an introduction by Kai Simons, the discoverer of lipid rafts and the most prominent scientist in the field, chapters include: Historical background Distinct structures and functions Structural basis Signaling Viral entry and virion budding Cholesterol transport Caveolins Lipid shells Cell polarity and intracellular trafficking Cancer cells Of prime importance to molecular and cell biologists, biochemists, membrane scientists, cancer researchers, and virologists.

Consists of critical reviews and original research papers from the 2014 International Symposium on the "Biochemical Role of Eukaryotic Cell Surface Macromolecules". Topics covered include: · neurochemical and biochemical analysis of cell surface glycoconjugates · membrane skeletal organization · GPCRs and other receptors · biophysical approaches to study membrane interactions · glycoconjugate metabolism · dysregulation · molecular mechanisms involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction · glycans in infectious and neurological diseases · cancer and glycosyltransferases as drug targets.

The Living Barrier: A Primer on Transfer across Biological Membranes provides information pertinent to the movement of molecules across cell membranes. This book covers a variety of topics, including cell membrane, membrane transfer, water transfer, and movement of charged solutes. Organized into nine chapters, this book begins with an overview of the basic ideas of the cell membrane and reviews the experimental evidence about the structure of the cell membrane. This text then reviews the classical electron microscope pictures of membranes. Other chapters consider the interactions between electrical potentials and the movements of charged substances, which make the membrane transfer of these substances much more complicated than those of neutral molecules. This book discusses as well the aspects of water structure and its influence on membrane permeability. The final chapter deals with the methods by which membranes are synthesized. This book is a valuable resource for biochemists, physiologists, pharmacologists, and botanists.