One of the most active and productive areas of biological science in the past decade has been the study of the biochemical and biophysical prop erties of cell membranes. There is little doubt that membranes are essen tial components of all cellular systems and that each type of membrane manifests specific and characteristic cellular functions. In the nervous system, important events such as neurotransmission, receptor binding, ion transport, axonal transport, and cell uptake are all known to take place within the neural cell membrane. Phospholipids, one of the major components of membranes, not only provide the membrane with its structural integrity and physical proper ties, but also play an important role in regulating membrane function. Attention has recently been focused on the asymmetric localization of these molecules, the identification of discrete metabolic pools of phospholipids within the membrane matrix, and their involvement in sig nal transmission. Although synaptic membranes generally lack an active mechanism for the de novo biosynthesis of phospholipids, a number of enzymic routes are present for their interconversions and for facilitating metabolic turnover. Metabolites generated during the interconversion reactions may also exert a great influence in modulating membrane func tions. The phosphogylcerides of neural membranes are especially enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, only very small amounts of these fatty acids are present in the free form, and they are maintained in dynamic equilibrium with the membrane phospholipids.

Nerve Membranes: A Study of the Biological and Chemical Aspects of Neuron–Glia Relationships presents the various aspects of neuronal and glial structure and function. This book provides an interdisciplinary approach to the analysis of neuron–glia relationships and of membranes in the nervous system. Comprised of seven chapters, this book begins with an overview of the function of the biological membranes to improve, retard, and regulate the rate of cellular reactions. This text then determines the differences in the organization of the cells in the nervous system in the vertebrates and the invertebrates. Other chapters examine the role of certain intermolecular forces and of water in the organization of lipid–protein and lipid–lipid associations. This book reviews as well the theories of biological membrane structure and considers how these contribute towards understanding the methods by which membranes perform their role. This book is a valuable resource for neuroscientists, neurochemists, and researchers.

This solid introduction uses the principles of physics and the tools of mathematics to approach fundamental questions of neuroscience.

Glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid-derived lipid mediators facilitate the transfer of messages not only from one cell to another but also from one subcellular organelle to another. These molecules are not only components of neural membranes but also storage depots for lipid mediators. Information on the generation and involvement of lipid mediators in neurological disorders is scattered throughout the literature in the form of original papers and reviews. This book will provide readers with a comprehensive description of glycerophospholipid, sphingolipid and cholesterol-derived lipid mediators and their involvement in neurological disorders.