Dynamics of Soft Matter: Neutron Applications provides an overview of neutron scattering techniques that measure temporal and spatial correlations simultaneously, at the microscopic and/or mesoscopic scale. These techniques offer answers to new questions arising at the interface of physics, chemistry, and biology. Knowledge of the dynamics at these levels is crucial to understanding the soft matter field, which includes colloids, polymers, membranes, biological macromolecules, foams, emulsions towards biological & biomimetic systems, and phenomena involving wetting, friction, adhesion, or microfluidics. Emphasizing the complementarities of scattering techniques with other spectroscopic ones, this volume also highlights the potential gain in combining techniques such as rheology, NMR, light scattering, dielectric spectroscopy, as well as synchrotron radiation experiments. Key areas covered include polymer science, biological materials, complex fluids and surface science.

Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules by Neutron Scattering provides insight into the study of the dynamics of biological macromolecules by neutron scattering techniques. The applicability of neutron scattering to expanding fields of biological studies is

The first volume of the Handbook deals with the amazing world of biomembranes and lipid bilayers. Part A describes all aspects related to the morphology of these membranes, beginning with the complex architecture of biomembranes, continues with a description of the bizarre morphology of lipid bilayers and concludes with technological applications of these membranes. The first two chapters deal with biomembranes, providing an introduction to the membranes of eucaryotes and a description of the evolution of membranes. The following chapters are concerned with different aspects of lipids including the physical properties of model membranes composed of lipid-protein mixtures, lateralphase separation of lipids and proteins and measurement of lipid-protein bilayer diffusion. Other chapters deal with the flexibility of fluid bilayers, the closure of bilayers into vesicles which attain a large variety of different shapes, and applications of lipid vesicles and liposomes. Part B covers membrane adhesion, membrane fusion and the interaction of biomembranes withpolymer networks such as the cytoskeleton. The first two chapters of this part discuss the generic interactions of membranes from the conceptual point of view. The following two chapters summarize the experimental work on two different bilayer systems. The next chapter deals with the process ofcontact formation, focal bounding and macroscopic contacts between cells. The cytoskeleton within eucaryotic cells consists of a network of relatively stiff filaments of which three different types of filaments have been identified. As explained in the next chapter much has been recently learned aboutthe interaction of these filaments with the cell membrane. The final two chapters deal with membrane fusion.

The study of membranes has become of high importance in the fields of biology, pharmaceutical chemistry and medicine, since much of what happens in a cell or in a virus involves biological membranes. The current book is an excellent introduction to the area, which explains how modern analytical methods can be applied to study biological membranes and membrane proteins and the bioprocesses they are involved to.

The advent of new neutron facilities and the improvement of existing sources and instruments world wide supply the biological community with many new opportunities in the areas of structural biology and biological physics. The present volume offers a clear description of the various neutron-scattering techniques currently being used to answer biologically relevant questions. Their utility is illustrated through examples by some of the leading researchers in the field of neutron scattering. This volume will be a reference for researchers and a step-by-step guide for young scientists entering the field and the advanced graduate student.

Cholesterol in Membrane Models provides the most recent summary available of basic molecular models and experiments in models of biological membranes. The book introduces the cell biology of cholesterol and covers the modeling of cholesterol in model membranes by the mean field and Monte Carlo theoretical methods. The experimental movement of cholesterol into model membranes and phase diagrams of cholesterol in these membranes by nuclear magnetic resonance and by thermal techniques using different lipid chain lengths are discussed. Light and electron microscopy that explore the spatial distribution of cholesterol in the model membrane are covered. The book also examines the use of infrared/Raman and neutron spectroscopy. Cholesterol in Membrane Models is an excellent learning resource, research tool, and reference for a wide range of experimental and theoretical scientists, including cellular biologists, biophysicists, biochemists, and molecular modelers.

In this book, renowned scientists describe the role of steroid chirality and modification of lipid membrane physical properties in the modulation of G protein-coupled receptors and ion channels. The application of commonly-used technical approaches such as mass spectrometry and nucleic magnetic resonance transfer spectroscopy for studies on cholesterol distribution and alteration of lipid bilayer characteristics is also discussed. This book offers comprehensive insights into the current understanding of cholesterol-driven modulation of protein function via mechanisms that extend beyond lipid-protein direct interactions. In the first part, the chapters introduce the reader to the use of the chemical derivatives of cholesterol as a valuable laboratory tool in the studies of cholesterol-driven modulation of protein function. In the second part, examples of cholesterol-induced changes in membrane physical characteristics are presented and discussed in light of their multifaceted contribution to the effect of cholesterol on protein function. The book will be of interest to undergraduate and graduate students as well as basic science and medical researchers with a keen interest in the biophysical properties of cholesterol and physiological consequences of cholesterol presence in biological systems.

This book presents a compendium of methodologies for the study of membrane lipids, varying from traditional lab bench experimentation to computer simulation and theoretical models. The volume provides a comprehensive set of techniques for studying membrane lipids with a strong biophysical emphasis. It compares the various available techniques including the pros and cons as seen by the experts.

The study of membranes has become of high importance in the fields of biology, pharmaceutical chemistry and medicine, since much of what happens in a cell or in a virus involves biological membranes. The current book is an excellent introduction to the area, which explains how modern analytical methods can be applied to study biological membranes and membrane proteins and the bioprocesses they are involved to.