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Physics of Complex-Biological Membranes and Cell Interfaces

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

Evan Evans
Evan Evans*
Affiliation:
Pathology and Physics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Abstract

Nature has developed exceptional designs for resilient “soft” materials and for interfacing “soft-hard” materials which show capabilities well-beyond our present day technology. Most of the properties of biological materials – and a great deal of biological function – emanate from chemical and physical characteristics of interfacial structures (membranes). Although material interfaces in biology are complicated, it appears that these structures have been invariably optimized (with respect to harsh-environmental requirements) by the slow “evolutionary-driven” engineering. Some “hierarchical” features and characteristic length scales for biological membranes are directly related to architecture; but others are more subtle and arise because conformations of much of the molecular structure are randomized by thermal fluctuations.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 255: Symposium Z – Hierarchically Structured Materials , 1991 , 31
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1992

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