One of the most active and productive areas of biological science in the past decade has been the study of the biochemical and biophysical prop erties of cell membranes. There is little doubt that membranes are essen tial components of all cellular systems and that each type of membrane manifests specific and characteristic cellular functions. In the nervous system, important events such as neurotransmission, receptor binding, ion transport, axonal transport, and cell uptake are all known to take place within the neural cell membrane. Phospholipids, one of the major components of membranes, not only provide the membrane with its structural integrity and physical proper ties, but also play an important role in regulating membrane function. Attention has recently been focused on the asymmetric localization of these molecules, the identification of discrete metabolic pools of phospholipids within the membrane matrix, and their involvement in sig nal transmission. Although synaptic membranes generally lack an active mechanism for the de novo biosynthesis of phospholipids, a number of enzymic routes are present for their interconversions and for facilitating metabolic turnover. Metabolites generated during the interconversion reactions may also exert a great influence in modulating membrane func tions. The phosphogylcerides of neural membranes are especially enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, only very small amounts of these fatty acids are present in the free form, and they are maintained in dynamic equilibrium with the membrane phospholipids.

Résumé
Phospholipids, one of the major components of membranes, not only provide the membrane with its structural integrity and physical proper ties, but also play an important role in regulating membrane function.

Contenu
I: Membrane Phospholipids.- Phospholipid Metabolism in Neural Membranes.- The Involvement of Lipids in Signal Transmission Across Cell Membranes of the Nervous System.- Involvement of Phospholipid Metabolites in Neural Membrane Functions.- Effects of Catecholamines and Their Metabolites and Other Pharmacological Agents on Arachidonic Acid Metabolism and Prostaglandin Release by Rabbit Iris Muscle and Iris Microsomes.- Free Arachidonic and Docosahexaenoic Acid Accumulation in the Central Nervous System During Stimulation.- The Role of Arachidonic Acid in Cellular Brain Edema.- Metabolism of Docosahexaenoic Acid-Containing Species of Ether Phospholipid in Rat Brain.- The Effect of Dietary Choline on Brain Phospholipid Content.- Solubilization, Purification, and Properties of Membrane-Bound Brain Enzymes Which Biosynthesize Phosphoinositides.- II: Receptors.- Demonstration of GABA-Synthesizing Enzyme, GAD, Benzodiazepine Receptor, and Coated Vesicles in the Vetebrate Nervous System.- Roles of Synaptic Membranous Phospholipids in the Modulation of Cerebral GABA and Benzodiazepine Receptor Bindings.- Characterization and Isolation of Dopamine-Binding Proteins in Rat CNS by Gel Electrophoresis and Affinity Chromatography.- Effects of Ascorbate on Post-Synaptic Serotonin Binding Sites in Rat Brains.- Membrane Properties of Isolated Horizontal Cells in the Teleost Retina.- III: Membrane Structure and Functions.- The Kindling Effect of Ethanol on Neuronal Membranes.- Response of Brain Cell Culture to Ethanol: Morphological and Biochemical Studies.- Structure and Function of Synaptosomal and Mitochondrial Membranes: Elucidation Using Neurotoxic Metals and Neuromodulatory Agents.- Properties of a Brain Membrane Amino-Enkephalinase: Inhibition Studies.- Choline Acetyltransferase: Purification, Characterization, Localization, and Induction of a Fatal Autoimmune Disease.- Non-Enzymatic Galactosylation of Proteins and Galactosemia.- Chemical Studies on the Porcine Myelin Basic Protein.- The Excitation Properties of Nerve Membranes.- IV: Gangliosides.- Gangliosides of the Neuronal Membrane and the Neuritogenic Phenomenon.- Neuronal Development and Regeneration: A Role for Gangliosides.- Heterosis for Myelin Content in Mice: A New Model for Studying Myelination.- Ganglioside-Mediated Internalization of Choleragen.- Biochemical Studies of Tay-Sachs Disease.- Gangliosides in Peripheral Nervous System During Normal Cell-Differentiation and Oncogenesis.- V: Abstracts.- Benzodiazepine-Binding Site and GABA-Binding Site.- Responses of the Single Sympathetic Ganglionic Neurones to Acetylcholine and to Dopamine.- Effect of Convulsive and Anti-Convulsive Agents on Brain Free Fatty Acids and Diacylglycerols.- Lysophospholipase in Brain Synaptosomes.- Butyrate-Induced Reverse Transformation of Clonal Glioma Cells in Vitro.- Butyrate-Induced Expression of Selected Glial Markers by Clonal Glioma (F98) Cells in Vitro.- Arachidonoyl-Labeled Synaptosomes: A Membrane Substrate for Sutdying PI-Specific Phospholipase C.- Differential Effects of Divalent Cations on Nerve and Muscle Membranes.- Changes in Phosphoglycerides and Their Acyl Group Profiles of Glioma Cells Due to Butyrate Treatment.- The Action of Thyroid Hormones on Neural Membranes.