Permeability of Biological Membranes (PDF)

This book deals with biological
membranes, focuses on permeabilization and pays particular attention to
reversible permeabilization to maintain the viability and physiological
conditions of the cells.

Selective
permeability of biological membranes also known as semipermeability, partial
permeability or differential permeability allows molecules to diffuse, pass by
passive and active or by other types of transport processes mediated by
proteins.

The first
chapter of the book deals with the composition of biological membranes,
characterizes cellular membranes of prokaryotic, eukaryotic cells, membranes of
cellular organelles and the function of biological membranes. The second
chapter provides an overview of bilayer permeability, selectivity of
permeabilization and cellular transport processes. Chapter 3 overviews
different cell manipulations that aim to make cells permeable while maintaining
not only the structural but also the functional integrity of cells. The last
chapter deals with applications, particularly with reversible permeabilization
to study macromolecular (DNA, RNA, poly-ADP ribose) biosynthetic processes,
replication, gene expression, visualization of replicons, intermediates of
chromosome condensation, genotoxic chromatin changes, upon treatment with heavy
metals and different types of irradiation.

The
interdisciplinary aspects of the book contribute to the understanding of the
structure of nucleic acids, replicative intermediates, Okazaki fragments, RNA
primer mechanism, subphases of replication and repair synthesis, replicons,
gene expression, chromosome condensation generated a wealth of information that
will attract a wide readership. The natural audience engaged in DNA research,
including genetics, cell and molecular biology, chemistry, biochemistry,
medicine, pharmacy will find essential material in the book.