Plasma Membrane Shaping summarizes current knowledge on how cells shape their membrane. Organized in four sections, the book opens with a broad overview of the plasma membrane, its composition, usual shapes and substructures, Actin/WASP/arp2/3 structures, BAR domains, and Ankyrin repeat domains, dynamin, and phospholipid signaling. Other sections cover the shaping of the plasma membrane for transport processes, discussions on exosomes, microvesicles, and endosomes, clathrin-coated pits, caveolae, and other endocytic pits, membrane deformation for cell movement, and some of the most current dry and wet lab research techniques to investigate cellular membrane shaping. This is an ideal resource for new researchers coming into this area as well as for graduate students. The methods section will be of interest to both microscopists and computer scientists dedicated to the visualization, data collection, and analysis of plasma membrane shaping experiments. Covers membrane shaping for both cytosis and cell movement Includes dry and wet lab research methods of plasma membrane shaping Describes the molecular machinery involved with protein and lipid balance in the plasma membrane Presents the coordination of cellular structures involved in cell deformation and motion

Concepts of Biology is designed for the introductory biology course for nonmajors taught at most two- and four-year colleges. The scope, sequence, and level of the program are designed to match typical course syllabi in the market. Concepts of Biology includes interesting applications, features a rich art program, and conveys the major themes of biology. The images in this textbook are grayscale.

This volume focuses on the modulation of biological membranes by specific biophysical properties. The readers are introduced to emerging biophysical approaches that mimick specific states (like membrane lipid asymmetry, membrane curvature, lipid flip-flop, lipid phase separation) that are relevant to the functioning of biological membranes. The first chapter describes innovative methods to mimic the prevailing asymmetry in biological membranes by forming asymmetrical membranes made of monolayers with different compositions. One of the chapters illustrates how physical parameters, like curvature and elasticity, can affect and modulate the interactions between lipids and proteins. This volume also describes the sensitivity of certain ion channels to mechanical forces and it presents an analysis of how cell shape is determined by both the cytoskeleton and the lipid domains in the membrane. The last chapter provides evidence that liposomes can be used as a minimal cellular model to reconstitute processes related to the origin of life. Each topic covered in this volume is presented by leading experts in the field who are able to present clear, authoritative and up-to-date reviews. The novelty of the methods proposed and their potential for a deeper molecular description of membrane functioning are particularly relevant experts in the areas of biochemistry, biophysics and cell biology, while also presenting clear and thorough introductions, making the material suitable for students in these fields as well.

Cell Shape: Determinants, Regulation, and Regulatory Role is written to help readers understand cell shape and its regulation. It provides insight into how the shape of a cell is determined at a molecular level. It also discusses how the shape of the cell, as a signal, controls gene expression and modulates intercellular interaction. Divided into four parts encompassing 13 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the mechanism of shape determination. It then explores how the cytoskeleton, the extracellular matrix, and biochemical force transduction may affect or respond to cell shape control. Other chapters focus on the mechanical modeling of cell shape and the biochemical reactions underlying cell motility. The text also describes the results of the molecular studies that have provided important information on the composition of the cytoskeleton. The final chapter reviews the shape changes that happen during embryogenesis. It also considers how the polarity of the embryo is determined. This book is a valuable resource for biologists, embryologists, and cell biologists.

This book mainly focuses on key aspects of biomembranes that have emerged over the past 15 years. It covers static and dynamic descriptions, as well as modeling for membrane organization and shape at the local and global (at the cell level) scale. It also discusses several new developments in non-equilibrium aspects that have not yet been covered elsewhere. Biological membranes are the seat of interactions between cells and the rest of the world, and internally, they are at the core of complex dynamic reorganizations and chemical reactions. Despite the long tradition of membrane research in biophysics, the physics of cell membranes as well as of biomimetic or synthetic membranes is a rapidly developing field. Though successful books have already been published on this topic over the past decades, none include the most recent advances. Additionally, in this domain, the traditional distinction between biological and physical approaches tends to blur. This book gathers the most recent advances in this area, and will benefit biologists and physicists alike.

This handbook provides a unique overview of lipid membrane fundamentals and applications. The fascinating world of lipids that harbor and govern so many biological functionalities are discussed within the context of membrane structures, interactions, and shape evolution. Beyond the fundamentals in lipid science, this handbook focuses on how scientists are building bioinspired biomimetic systems for applications in medicine, cosmetics, and nanotechnology. Key Features: Includes experimental and theoretical overviews on the role of lipids, with or without associated biomolecules, as structural components imparting distinct membrane shapes and intermembrane interactions Covers the mechanisms of lipid-membrane curvature, by peptide and protein binding, and the roles of signalling lipids and the cytoskeleton in plasma membrane shape evolution Covers advanced X-ray and force measurement techniques Discusses applications in biomedicine, cosmetics, and nanotechnology, including lipid vectors in nucleic acid, drug delivery in dermal applications, and lipid-based sensors and artificial biointerfaces Covers artificial membranes from block copolymers, synthetic copolypeptides, and recombinant proteins Includes an exciting section that explores the role of lipids in the origin of life in hydrothermal conditions This book is a highly informative companion for professionals in biophysics, biochemistry, physical chemistry, and material and pharmaceutical sciences and bioengineering.