Liquid Crystals and Biological Structures

Liquid Crystals & Biological Structures covers analogies between biological structures and behavior of living cells to liquid crystalline structures and their behavior. It emphasizes that the physical state of the matter involved in life processes is to a great extent liquid crystalline.
The first chapters discuss the physical, chemical, structural, and optical properties of liquid crystals, as well as the structure of the principal molecules associated with life systems. The core chapters cover selected cellular structures exhibiting liquid crystalline behavior to emphasize the nature of various cellular membranes, from the cell membranes to the receptors and effectors. The book also considers differentiated organelles of the cell that are specialized for photoreception, including chloroplasts for photosynthesis, the retinal photoreceptors of the eye, and the rods and cones for visual excitation.
This book is suited for students and bioscientists who are interested in the potential of the liquid crystalline state in exploring a variety of biological phenomena.

Contenu

Preface
Acknowledgments
Liquid Crystals and The Cell
Chapter 1 Introduction
Text
References
Chapter 2 Classifications of Liquid Crystals
I. Introduction
II. Gaseous, Liquid, Liquid Crystalline, and Solid States of Matter
III. Classification and Nomenclature of Thermotropic Liquid Crystals
IV. Classification and Nomenclature of Lyotropic Liquid Crystals
References
Chapter 3 Structure of Liquid Crystals
I. Introduction
II. Molecular Structure and Polymorphism of Thermotropic Liquid Crystals
III. Lyotropic Liquid Crystals
IV. Remarks
References
Chapter 4 Optical Properties of Liquid Crystals
I. Optical Characteristics
II. Textures of Thermotropic Liquid Crystals
III. Textures of Lyotropic Liquid Crystals
References
Chapter 5 The Structural Molecules of Life
I. Introduction
II. Proteins
III. Lipids
IV. Carotenoids
V. Polysaccharides
VI. Nucleic Acids
VII. Pyrroles and Porphyrins
VIII. ADP-ATP System
IX. Remarks
References
Chapter 6 Molecules, Macromolecules, and Self-Organizing Systems
I. Introduction
II. Synthesis of Organic Compounds
III. Structural Models
IV. Cellular Models
V. Remarks
References
Chapter 7 The Cell and Cellular Structures
I. Introduction
II. Structures
III. Remarks
References
Receptors, Effectors, and Membranes
Chapter 8 Photoreceptor Structures: The Chloroplasts
I. The Chloroplast Structure and Photosynthesis
II. The Chloroplast Molecular Structure
III. Chloroplastin: Chlorophyll-Protein Micelles
IV. Remarks
References
Chapter 9 Visual Systems: The Optical and Photoreceptor Structures
I. The Eye and Visual Excitation
II. The Visual Pigment
III. Remarks
References
Chapter 10 Fibrous Protein Structures and Effectors
I. Introduction
II. Fibrous Protein Structures
III. Effectors: Muscle and Nerve
IV. Remarks
References
Chapter 11 Membranes
I. Introduction
II. Molecular Structure
III. Membrane Models
IV. Remarks
References
Applications to Medicine and Summary
Chapter 12 Liquid Crystals in Medicine
I. Introduction
II. Temperature Sensing
III. Diseases
References
Chapter 13 Summary
I. Overview
II. Cholesteric-Nematic Liquid Crystals
III. Membranes
IV. Analytical Tool
V. Conclusion
Reference
General References
Index