This book provides a comprehensive overview of the basic principles concepts techniques and
latest advances in the field of biomembranes and membrane-associated processes. With new
emerging technologies and bioinformatics tools this is a promising area for future study and
research. The book discusses the composition fluidity and dynamic nature of phospholipid
bilayers which vary with cell organelle type and function. It describes the various types of
transport proteins that facilitate the transport of polar and nonpolar molecules across the
membrane actively or passively via ion-channels or through porins. It also explores the many
cellular functions membranes participate in: (1) energy transduction which includes the
electron transport chain in inner membrane of mitochondria and bacterial cytoplasmic membrane
and photosynthetic electron transport in thylakoid membranes in chloroplast and photosynthetic
bacterial membranes (2) cell¿cell communication involving various signal transduction pathways
triggered by activated membrane receptors (3) cell¿cell interactions involving various types
of adhesion and receptor proteins (4) nerve transmission involving opening and closing of
voltage gated ionic channels and (5) intracellular transport involving the processes of
endocytosis exocytosis vesicular transport of solutes between intracellular compartments
membrane fusion and membrane biogenesis.
