In mammalian cells many physiological processes rely on the dynamics of the organization of lipids and proteins in biological membranes. The topics in this volume deal with physicochemical methods in the study of biomembranes. Some of them have a long and respectable history in the study of soluble proteins and have only recently been applied to the study of membranes. Some have tradi tionally been applied to studies of model systems of lipids of well-defined com position, as well as to intact membranes. Other methods, by their very nature, apply to organized bilayers comprised of both protein and lipid. Van Meer and van Genderen provide us with an introduction to the field (Chapter I). From their personal perspective regarding the distribution, trans port, and sorting of membrane lipids, they formulate a number of biologically relevant questions and show that the physicochemical methods described in this book may contribute in great measure to solving these issues. The methods of analytical ultracentrifugation have served faithfully for 60 years in the study of water-soluble proteins. The use of detergent extraction of membrane proteins, and the manipulation of density with H20/D20 mixtures, has extended this technique to the study of proteins, and in particular their interactions, from biological membranes. As described by Morris and Ralston in Chapter 2, this technique can be used to determine a number of important properties of proteins.

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 romantic phase of membrane biochemistry characterized by conceptual develop ments and an essentially unlimited freedom of choice is gradually coming to a close. Attention is turning from the general, qualitative description of membrane structure toward the specific properties of membrane-linked enzymes and metabolic systems. The purpose of this series is to serve this development by collecting and evaluating the mass of interesting information that is already available widely scattered in the literature. The emphasis will be upon a comprehensive treatment of membrane linked enzymes from the viewpoint of modern enzymology. The general properties of membranes will be mentioned only to the extent that they are relevant to the dis cussion of the enzymes in question. The first of the four volumes will deal with the physical and chemical techniques (X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic and electron spin resonance, fluorescence spectroscopy, immunology, etc.) used in the characterization of membrane enzymes. Chapters are also included on artificial bilayer membranes, chemical modification of membrane enzymes, and on the nature of lipid-protein interaction in membranes. In the next three volumes the enzyme systems participating in the biosynthesis of cell components, active transport, oxydative phosphorylation, and photosynthesis will be analyzed. A brief discussion of hormone receptors is also included. Subsequent volumes may fill in the few but significant gaps in the coverage that for various reasons could not be avoided.

This book embraces all physiochemical aspects of the structure and molecular dynamics of water, focusing on its role in biological objects, e.g. living cells and tissue, and in the formation of functionally active structures of biological molecules and their ensembles. Water is the single most abundant chemical found in all living things. It offers a detailed look into the latest modern physical methods for studying the molecular structure and dynamics of the water and provides a critical analysis of the existing literature data on the properties of water in biological objects. Water as a chemical reagent and as a medium for the formation of conditions for enzymatic catalysis is a core focus of this book. Although well suited for active researchers, the book as a whole, as well as each chapter on its own, can be used as fundamental reference material for graduate and undergraduate students throughout chemistry, physics, biophysics and biomedicine.

Provides the reader with an up to date insight of the current state of the art in the field of lipid bilayer research and the important insights derived for the understanding of the complex and varied behaviour of biological membranes and its function.

Describes experimental methods for investigating the function of pumps, channels and transporters Covers new emerging analytical methods used to study ion transport membrane proteins such as single-molecule spectroscopy Details a wide range of electrophysiological techniques and spectroscopic methods used to analyze the function of ion channels, ion pumps and transporters Covers state-of-the art analytical methods to study ion pumps, channels, and transporters, and where analytical chemistry can make further contributions

Calcium plays an important role in a wide variety of biological processes. This divalent metal ion can bind to a large number of proteins; by doing so it modifies their biological activity or their stability. Because of its distinct che- cal properties calcium is uniquely suited to act as an on–off switch or as a light dimmer of biological activities. The two books entitled Calcium-Binding Protein Protocols (Volumes I and II) focus on modern experimental analyses and methodologies for the study of calcium-binding proteins. Both extracel- lar and intracellular calcium-binding proteins are discussed in detail. H- ever, proteins involved in calcium handling (e. g. , calcium pumps and calcium channels), fall outside of the scope of these two volumes. Also, calcium-bi- ing proteins involved in bone deposition will not be discussed, as this specific topic has been addressed previously. The focus of these two books is on studies of the calcium-binding proteins and their behavior in vitro and in vivo. The primary emphasis is on protein chemistry and biophysical methods. Many of the methods described will also be applicable to proteins that do not bind calcium. Calcium-Binding Protein Protocols is divided into three main sections. The section entitled Introduction and Reviews provides information on the role of calcium in intracellular secondary messenger activation mechanisms. Mo- over, unique aspects of calcium chemistry and the utilization of calcium in dairy proteins, as well as calcium-binding proteins involved in blood clotting, are addressed.