Structure and Functions of Biological Membranes

Molecular Models of Transport Mechanisms The Catalytic Cycle of the Na K1 Pump Includes 

Two Phosphorylated Forms of the Enzyme Some Membranes Have Relatively Large Pores Other Specific Interactions Mediated by Membrane 

Membranes Have Both Integral and Peripheral Proteins 

Integral Membrane Proteins Contain Transmembrane a Helices Proteins and Lipids Can Move around within 

Membranes Membranes contain amphipathic lipid molecules that 

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Construction of well organized functional Langmuir-Blodgett films by mimicking structures and functions of biological membranes... 

Sterols and Cholesterol. Natural sterols are crystalline C76 C1(1 steroid alcohols containing an aliphatic side chain at C17. Sterols were first isolated as lionsaponifiable fractions of lipids from various plant and animal sources and have been identified in almost all types of living organisms. By far, the most common sterol in vertebrates is cholesterol (8). Cholesterol serves two principal functions in mammals. First, cholesterol plays a role in the structure and function of biological membranes.. Secondly, cholesterol serves as a central intermediate in the biosynthesis of many biologically active steroids, including bile acids, corticosteroids, and sex hormones. 

Studies of this type have been made on a number of systems and are of great interest because of the light they may shed on the structure and function of biological membranes. 

Structure and Functions of Biological Membranes 381 Metabolism of Fatty Acids 411 Biosynthesis of Membrane Lipids 436 Metabolism of Cholesterol 459... 

In this chapter we discussed the structure and function of biological membranes. First we considered their structure starting with an examination of the constituents of membranes. Then we turned to questions concerning the transport of materials across membranes. 

Part 5, Metabolism of Lipids, comprises four chapters that deal with the structure and metabolism of lipids. In chapter 17, Structure and Function of Biological Membranes, we start by examining the constituents of membranes with the aim of developing a general model for membrane structure. We then turn to the question of how cells transport materials across membranes. 

Singer, S.J. (1971) The molecular organization of biological membranes. In Structure and Function of Biological Membranes (Rothfield, L.I., ed.), pp. 145-222, Academic Press, Inc., New York. 

The NMR studies of lipids can be used to probe the structure and function of biological membranes. 

Yeagle PL. The Structure and Function of Biological Membranes, 2nd edition. 2004. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 

In conclusion, supported bilayers have evolved into a reliable model membrane system since their first inception almost a quarter century ago. Numerous basic research questions regarding the structure and function of biological membranes and applications that range from biosensing to proteomic analyses of membrane components have been addressed with this system. We anticipate more growth and an even more prominent role of this tool in basic and applied membrane research in the decades to come. 

All of the chapters have been extensively revised since the 4th edition appeared in 2002. We have not attempted to describe in detail the structure and function of biological membranes or the mechanism by which proteins are assembled into membranes as these topics are covered elsewhere in a number of excellent books. The first chapter, however, contains an up-to-date summary of the principles of membrane structure as a basis for the material covered in the subsequent chapters. 

Structure Our understanding of the composition, structure, and function of biological membranes has developed rapidly in recent years. Not only do these cellular components influence uptake of nutrients, but they also play significant roles in communication between cells. In this discussion, however, the focus will be on the involvement of the membrane in the uptake of xenobiotics. The... 

A.G. Petrov, S.A. Seleznev and A. Derzhanski, Principles and methods of liquid crystal physics applied to the structure and functions of biological membranes, Acta Phys. Pol. A 55(3), 385-405, (1979). 

Research on the structure and function of biological membranes constitutes one of the most important areas of experimental medicine and biology. This up-to-date, critical, interdisciplinary overview deals with the techniques and methods used in research. 

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