Physical Properties of Biological Membranes and their Functional Implications

About this book

Reprint of the original 1988 edition.

Physical Properties of Biological Membranes and their Functional Implications was originated from a series of lectures given in a course on the physical properties of biological membranes and their functional implica- tions. The course was intended to allow students to get acquainted with the physical techniques used to study biological membranes. The experience was valuable and we feel that a detailed description of the procedures used and of various examples of the results obtained allowed many students to become familiar with a theme that is not often part of regular courses on membrane physiology or biophysics.

Physical Properties of Biological Membranes and their Functional Implications is designed as a tutorial guide for graduate students interested in understanding how physical methods can be utilized to study the proper- ties of biological membranes. It includes first a detailed description of applications of physical techniques-such as X-ray fiber diffraction methods (Chapter 1), 2H and 13C NMR spectroscopy (Chapter 2), and calorimetry (Chapter 3)-in the study of the properties of lipid model membranes. A description of how to measure molecular mobility in membranes (Chapter 4) follows, and Physical Properties of Biological Membranes and their Functional Implications concludes with three chapters in which biological membranes are the subject of study. Chapter 5 deals with the acetylcholine receptor and its membrane environment; Chapter 6 discusses how fluorescence techniques can be applied in the study of the calcium ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum; and Chapter 7 explains how protein- lipid interactions modulate the function of the sodium and proton pumps.

Contents

1 Structural Studies on Phospholipid Bilayers by X-Ray Fiber Diffraction Methods
1. Introduction
2. X-Ray Fiber Diagrams
3. Specimen Preparation
4. Photographic Equipment and Technique
5. Geometrical Measurement of the Reflections and Information Provided
6. Intensities of the Reflections
7. Electron Density
8. Experimental Observations
9. Conclusions
References

2 ²H and ¹³C NMR Spectroscopy of Lipid Model Membranes Alfred Blume
1. Introduction
2. Principles and Methods
3. Applications of ¹³C and ²H NMR to Lipid Model Membranes
4. Summary
References

3 Applications of Calorimetry to Lipid Model Membranes
1. Introduction
2. Differential Scanning Calorimetry
3. Reaction Calorimety
4. Conclusions
References

4 Molecular Mobility in Membranes
1. Introduction
2. Lateral Diffusion
3. Rotational Diffusion
References

5 The Acetylcholine Receptor and its Membrane Environment
1. Introduction
2. Acetylcholine Receptor Primary Structure, cDNA Recombinant Techniques, and Acetylcholine Receptor Models
3. Acetylcholine Receptor-Mediated Channel Gating: A Single Molecule at Work
4. The Acetylcholine Receptor in the Lipid Bilayer
5. Dynamics of Acetylcholine Receptor and Lipids in the Membrane
References

6 Fluorescence Spectroscopy in the Study of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-ATPase
1. Introduction
2. Structure and Conformation
3. Macromolecular Association
4. Protein-Protein and Protein-Lipid Interactions
References

7 Lipid-Protein Interactions in the Function of the Na⁺ and H⁺ Pumps: Role of Sulfatide
1. Introduction
2. The Sodium Pump
3. Lipid Requirements of the Sodium Pump: Role of Sulfatides
4. Role of Sulfatides in the Proton Pump
5. Conclusions
References

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