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.

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