Biological membranes are the essential structuring elements of all living cells. Many enzymatic reactions take place at the membrane-water interface. To gain detailed insight into membrane properties, it is therefore of great importance to understand the complex nature of the interactions of membrane proteins with lipids. Lipid-Protein Interactions: Methods and Protocols provides a selection of protocols to examine protein-lipid interactions, membrane and membrane protein structure, how membrane proteins affect lipids and how they are in turn affected by the lipid bilayer and lipid properties. The methods described here are all actively used, complementary, and necessary to obtain comprehensive information about membrane structure and function. They include label-free approaches, imaging techniques and spectroscopic methodologies. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Lipid-Protein Interactions: Methods and Protocols seeks to serve both professional and novices with its wide range of the methods frequently used in this area of research.

Themulticomponentnatureofbiologicalmembranesandtheirintra- andextracel- lar interactions make direct investigations on the membrane structure and processes nearly impossible. Clearly, a better understanding of the membrane properties and the mechanisms determining membrane protein functions is crucial to the imp- mentation of biosensors, bioreactors and novel platforms for medical therapy. For this reason, the interest in model systems suitable for the construction and study of complex lipid/protein membrane architectures has increased steadily over the years. The classical portfolio of model membranes used for biophysical and - terfacial studies of lipid (bi)layers and lipid/protein composites includes Langmuir monolayers assembled at the water/air interface, (uni- and multi-lamellar) vesicles in bulk (liposomal) dispersion, bimolecular lipid membranes (BLMs), and various types of solid-supported membranes. All these have speci?c advantages but also suffer from serious drawbacksthat limit their technical applications. Polymer m- branes comprised of entirely synthetic or hybrid (synthetic polymer/biopolymer) block copolymersappeared to be an attractive alternative to the lipid-based models. Generally, the synthetic block copolymer membranes are thicker and more stable and the versatility of polymer chemistry allows the adoption of relevant properties for a wide range of applications. This volume provides a vast overview of the physico-chemical and synthetic - pectsofarti?cial membranes. Numerousmembranemodelsaredescribed,including their properties(i. e. swelling, drying,lateral mobility,stability, electrical conduct- ity, etc. ), advantages, and drawbacks. The potential applications of these models are discussed and supported by real examples. Chapter 1 summarizesmethodsfor the stabilizationof arti?cial lipid membranes.

This detailed book provides technical approaches to tackle a variety of questions related to intracellular lipid transport in order to improve our understanding at different scales of how lipids are accurately displaced between organelles, across long distances or at membrane contact sites, or within cellular membranes. The volume begins with methodologies to measure the movement of varied lipid species between or in organelle membranes, inside eukaryotic cells, including plant cells, or in bacteria, and continues in vitro or in silico approaches aiming to define, more from a biochemical and structural standpoints, how lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) or flippases/scramblases precisely function. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Intracellular Lipid Transport: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for researchers seeking to shed light on diverse aspects of this critical and often elusive cellular process.

Liposomes are cellular structures made up of lipid molecules. Important as a cellular model in the study of basic biology, liposomes are also used in clinical applications such as drug delivery and virus studies. Liposomes Part E is a continuation of previous MIE Liposome volumes A, B, C and D.
* One of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry since 1955
* Frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike
* Truly an essential publication for anyone in any field of the life sciences

Liposomes are cellular structures made up of lipid molecules. Important as a cellular model in the study of basic biology, liposomes are also used in clinical applications such as drug delivery and virus studies. Liposomes Part D is a continuation of previous MIE Liposome volumes A, B, and C.
Contents: Antibody or Ligand Targeted Liposomes; environment sensitive liposomes; liposomal oligonucleotides; liposomes in vivo

The lipids of cellular membranes not only serve roles in controlling the structure and fluidity of the membrane, but are increasingly recognized for their roles as signalling molecules and modifiers of membrane protein function. Recent studies described in this volume reveal striking changes in membrane lipids during aging and in age-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders. Lipids including inositol phospholipids, cholesterol, sphingolipids and ceramides play important roles in signalling cellular responses to stress and specific stimuli such as growth factors, cytokines and neurotransmitters. One or more of these lipid mediators has been linked to the pathogenesis of age-related diseases.

This book provides a comprehensive review of specific membrane lipid mediators and their roles in aging and age-related disease.

This volume expands upon the previous edition with current, detailed protocols for investigating membranes and their component lipids in artificial membranes, cells, and in silico. Chapters focus on properties of the component lipids, membranes and their biophysical properties, fluorescent probes for studying membranes, sample preparation, physical techniques to study membrane composition, properties , and function, behavior of cholesterol within a bilayer and examination of cholesterol-dependent phase separation. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Methods in Membrane Lipids, Second Edition seeks to aid scientist in further study into membrane lipids.

Fatty acids play an important role in the barrier function of skin and represent a major source of proinflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins, leukotrienes and other lipids in inflammatory skin disorders. This book combines the two major functions of fatty acids in skin biology. In the first part the biosynthesis of fatty acids in skin with its role in barrier function as well as the role of dietary fatty acids on skin cell function and in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases is presented. The second part deals with skin as a source of proinflammatory eicosanoids, especially with the keratinocyte as a major cellular source. Metabolism of eicosanoids in skin, its role in psoriasis and atopic dermatitis as well as pharmacological inhibition of eicosanoid biosynthesis is reviewed. The book finishes with a chapter describing the methods used for quantification of fatty acids and derivatives in skin inflammation. Anyone interested in skin physiology would benefit from the overviews about the two sites of fatty acids' function in skin integrity and in skin inflammation.

Lipids in Photosynthesis: Essential and Regulatory Functions, provides an essential summary of an exciting decade of research on relationships between lipids and photosynthesis. The book brings together extensively cross-referenced and peer-reviewed chapters by prominent researchers. The topics covered include the structure, molecular organization and biosynthesis of fatty acids, glycerolipids and nonglycerolipids in plants, algae, lichens, mosses, and cyanobacteria, as well as in chloroplasts and mitochondria. Several chapters deal with the manipulation of the extent of unsaturation of fatty acids and the effects of such manipulation on photosynthesis and responses to various forms of stress. The final chapters focus on lipid trafficking, signaling and advanced analytical techniques. Ten years ago, Siegenthaler and Murata edited "Lipids in Photosynthesis: Structure, Function and Genetics," which became a classic in the field. "Lipids in Photosynthesis: Essential and Regulatory Functions," belongs, with its predecessor, in every plant and microbiological researcher's bookcase.

This volume represents a collection of contributions from the 6th International Conference on Eicosanoids and Other Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation, and Related Diseases held in Boston from September 12-15, 1999. The mission of this meeting was to bring together senior and junior investigators to both announce and examine their recent advancements in cutting-edge research on the roles and actions of lipid mediators and their impact in human physiology and disease pathogenesis. The meeting focused on new concepts in these areas of interest to both clinicians and researchers. The program included several outstanding plenary lectures and presentations by leading experts in the fields of cancer and inflammation. In addition, the Boston meeting presented three Young Investigator awards, one in each of the major focus areas. The meeting was exciting and proved to be very memorable. The program was developed with an emphasis on recent advances in molecular and of lipid mediators relevant in cellular mechanisims involved in the formation and actions inflammation and cancer. Plenary lectures were presented by Prof. Bengt Sammuelsson (Karolinska Institute, Stockholm; 1982 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine) and Prof. E. 1. Corey (Harvard University; 1990 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry). Both of these plenary lectures were held on Day 1, which set an exciting tone for this meeting. Immediately following these plenary lectures, three simultaneous breakout sessions were held, one of inflammation, a second on cancer and synthesis of novel inhibitors, and a third on enzymes-lipoxygenases/cyclooxygenases and inhibitors.

This book covers a wide range of state-of-the-art methodologies and detailed protocols currently used to study the actions that lipid-activated nuclear receptors and their co-regulators have in tissues and immune cell types considered classic metabolic "powerhouses". This includes the liver, adipose tissue, and monocytes/macrophages present in these and other metabolic tissues. While the main focus is on the oxysterol receptor or Liver X Receptor (LXR), the majority of the methods described can be easily applied to multiple nuclear receptors, as well as to other tissues or cell types. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Lipid-Activated Nuclear Receptors: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for researchers pursuing the vital study of nuclear receptor biology and beyond.

Efforts to describe and model the molecular structure of biological membranes go back to the beginning of the last century. In 1917, Langmuir described membranes as a layer of lipids one molecule thick [1]. Eight years later, Gorter and Grendel concluded from their studies that "the phospholipid molecules that formed the cell membrane were arranged in two layers to form a lipid bilayer" [2]. Danielli and Robertson proposed, in 1935, a model in which the bilayer of lipids is sequestered between two monolayers of unfolded proteins [3], and the currently still accepted fuid mosaic model was proposed by Singer and Nicolson in 1972 [4]. Among those landmarks of biomembrane history, a serendipitous observation made by Alex Bangham during the early 1960s deserves undoubtedly a special place. His fnding that exposure of dry phospholipids to an excess of water gives rise to lamellar structures [5] has opened versatile experimental access to studying the biophysics and biochemistry of biological phospholipid membranes. Although during the following 4 decades biological membrane models have grown in complexity and functionality [6], liposomes are, besides supported bilayers, membrane nanodiscs, and hybrid membranes, still an indisputably important tool for membrane b- physicists and biochemists. In vol. II of this book, the reader will fnd detailed methods for the use of liposomes in studying a variety of biochemical and biophysical membrane phenomena concomitant with chapters describing a great palette of state-of-the-art analytical technologies.

Cell membranes are not, as once believed, inert structures designed to contain the cell contents, but are in fact dynamic structures that are as me- bolically active as the cytosol and other cellular compartments they surround. Thus membranes not only contain mixtures of lipid and phospholipids, but also many proteins both embedded deeply within the membrane structure itself and also more loosely attached on the membrane surfaces. Though many such proteins have long been known to act as transport proteins, ion channels, hormone receptors, G proteins, cytoskeletal anchorage points, and so on, the major advance of recent years is the increasing understanding that the lipids and phospholipids in the membrane bilayer itself are also metabolized to b- logically active products that can diffuse either in the cytosol or in the m- brane bilayer to control the function of other proteins. Thus the concept of lipid-derived second messengers is now firmly established.

Efforts to describe and model the molecular structure of biological membranes go back to the beginning of the last century. In 1917, Langmuir described membranes as a layer of lipids one molecule thick [1]. Eight years later, Gorter and Grendel concluded from their studies that "the phospholipid molecules that formed the cell membrane were arranged in two layers to form a lipid bilayer" [2]. Danielli and Robertson proposed, in 1935, a model in which the bilayer of lipids is sequestered between two monolayers of unfolded proteins [3], and the currently still accepted fuid mosaic model was proposed by Singer and Nicolson in 1972 [4]. Among those landmarks of biomembrane history, a serendipitous observation made by Alex Bangham during the early 1960s deserves undoubtedly a special place. His fnding that exposure of dry phospholipids to an excess of water gives rise to lamellar structures [5] has opened versatile experimental access to studying the biophysics and biochemistry of biological phospholipid membranes. Although during the following 4 decades biological membrane models have grown in complexity and functionality [6], liposomes are, besides supported bilayers, membrane nanodiscs, and hybrid membranes, still an indisputably important tool for membrane b- physicists and biochemists. In vol. II of this book, the reader will fnd detailed methods for the use of liposomes in studying a variety of biochemical and biophysical membrane phenomena concomitant with chapters describing a great palette of state-of-the-art analytical technologies.

Lipobiology is an interdisciplinary field which incorporates critical aspects of lipid and lipoprotein chemistry into the disciplines of cell biology and physiology. During the last decade, advances in our understanding of the structure and function of lipids, biological membranes and lipid-derived second messengers have underscored the importance of lipids in the regulation of cellular function. This series focuses on salient aspects of the role of lipids in metabolic regulation and cellular activation, with emphasis on emerging concepts and technologies. One goal of this series is to formulate cohesive criteria upon which a foundation for the evaluation of recent work can be based and future directions of research identified.

The series of review articles presented in this book summarizes the recent state of the art in lipid research in a comprehensive way. The authors provide a general overview of this field and draw the readera (TM)s attention to the most recent investigation. Biochemical, cell biological and biophysical aspects of the four major groups of lipids in eukaryotic cells, namely glycerophospholipids, sterols, sphingolipids and storage lipids, are reported and discussed. The experimental systems addressed are mammalian, plant and yeast cells as the most prominent and currently best studied systems in lipid biochemistry, cell and molecular biology.

Cells of the immune system are activated by a variety of stimuli that are derived from other cells, ingested material or from invading microorganisms. This issue of CTMI focuses on the mechanisms of phosphoinositide-mediated protein recruitment to intracellular membranes.

A general review of lipid bilayer structure and dynamics is given, including such current topics as the hydration of lipid bilayers, the superstructural behaviour of bilayers at different states of hydration and external conditions, the role and behaviour of lipid bilayers on fusion and rupture and the interaction of lipid bilayers with small organic molecules and additives and of protein lipid bilayer interactions. In addition, recent research on lipid interaction with proteins and other molecules in monolayers is reviewed, and the use of highly aligned samples under biologically relevant conditions and the benefits derived from such preparations are addressed. Finally, the latest approach in simulation of impurities within a lipid bilayer is introduced. This book will be a comprehensive review of the current state of biologically relevant model membrane systems which will become an indispensible reference for the "working biophysicist."

This volume has been designed to offer a balanced account of the laboratory synthesis, industrial manufacture and biosynthesis of lipids. Authors describe the synthesis of all the major lipid classes, including new and revised procedures, and there are chapters devoted to the synthesis and manufacture of vitamin E, other natural antioxidants, sugar esters and ethers, and food surfactants. This authoritative work of reference has something for all lipid scientists and technologists. It is directed at chemists and technologists working in oils and fats processing, the food industry, the oleochemicals industry and the pharmaceutical industry; at analytical chemists and quality assurance personnel; and at lipid chemists in academic research laboratories.

This volume of Progress in Inflammation Research is a unique compilation of work performed by a wide spectrum of investigators from different medical disciplines. It is fascinating that dietary alterations of fatty acid intake can result in a range of salutory changes in a great variety of medical conditions. Most of the good scien tific work which has led to these observations has been performed over just the last two decades. This is of course not a very long time in the context of the history of the human species. Recently performed analysis of fat intake from paleolithic times has indicated that our hunter-gatherer ancestors consumed as much cholesterol as modern Western man, but strikingly less saturated fatty acid and more polyunsatu rates, including n-3 fatty acids. Wild game has the terrestrial source of n-3 incorpo rated in its fat since browsing animals derive 18:3n-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) natural ly from leafy plants. There is, however, little opportunity for modern Western man to get n-3 fatty acids from the diet if one does not consume fish. Modern agribusiness provides ani mal feeds high in n-6 fatty acids, mostly derived from linoleic acid (18:2n-6) in corn feed. Therefore, grazing animals have no access to alternative fatty acids in either feed or grasses, the latter containing little or none of these potentially beneficial highly polyunsaturated fatty acids."

Currently, the health of over half the adult population in the UK suffers because of fat. The UK is not alone: obesity is a global problem, but the populations of some countries are heavier than others. This book probes the chemistry of fat in our bodies, providing a unique insight into understanding obesity, and how this material becomes accumulated to cause obesity with particular emphasis on the contribution of nutrition beyond calories. It visits the current hot topic of the genetic origins of obesity and progresses through to the relatively under publicised field of epigenetics, emphasising its importance to understanding the current epidemic. Coming in the wake of the establishment of international collaborations, the book aims to quantify the extent of the contribution of nutritional deficiencies to body weight gain. Yet even before these studies begin some important links have been identified and the molecular mechanisms by which they induce obesity have been mapped. This information reveals a serious problem for the next generation, but it is expected to provide the necessary information to tackle the obesity epidemic. Based on an extensive review of scientific literature, this topical book is written in a way that is accessible to the non-specialist. Suitable for the general public, the principal focus of the book is to advance the public understanding and awareness of science through the high interest subject of obesity. However, many universities recommend public understanding of science texts to students as a means of broadening general knowledge and as a means to emphasise to students the importance of communicating their research to the public. This book will be instrumental in developing this knowledge.

This book has pedigree. It has developed from experience over 50 years in reading, writing, thinking, and working with lipids and fatty acids. The study of Lipids now involves many disciplines, all of which require a basic knowledge of the chemical nature and properties of these molecules. The book i s written particularly for those who, with some knowledge of chemistry or biochemistry, need to know more about the mature of lipids and of fatty acids. Much of the readership will be employed in the food industry since 80% of the world production of oils and fats is eaten by humans and another 6% goes into animal feed. They will need to understand the materials they handle; their origin and chemical nature, the effects of processing, and their physical, chemical, biochemical, and nutritional properties. Another group of readers will be employed in the oleochemical industry modifying the material produced by nature for the benefit of human kind. They will have to understand the constraints of production and of chemistry within which they work and to be aware of the present state of knowledge about these materials. Yet another group may consider themselves to be academic researchers; however there is no escape from the real world of market place availability and they will need to know something about sourcing, about the changes which occur when oils and fat are refined and how these materials can be modified on a commercial scale.

A collection of papers that comprehensively describe the major areas of research on lipid metabolism of plants. State-of-the-art knowledge about research on fatty acid and glycerolipid biosynthesis, isoprenoid metabolism, membrane structure and organization, lipid oxidation and degradation, lipids as intracellular and extracellular messengers, lipids and environment, oil seeds and gene technology is reviewed. The different topics covered show that modern tools of plant cellular and molecular biology, as well as molecular genetics, have been recently used to characterize several key enzymes of plant lipid metabolism (in particular, desaturases, thioesterases, fatty acid synthetase) and to isolate corresponding cDNAs and genomic clones, allowing the use of genetic engineering methods to modify the composition of membranes or storage lipids. These findings open fascinating perspectives, both for establishing the roles of lipids in membrane function and intracellular signalling and for adapting the composition of seed oil to the industrial needs. This book will be a good reference source for research scientists, advanced students and industrialists wishing to follow the considerable progress made in recent years on plant lipid metabolism and to envision the new opportunities offered by genetic engineering for the development of novel oil seeds.

This book was stimulated by the enthusiasm shown by attendees at the meetings in Saxon River, VT, sponsored by the Federation ofAmerican Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), on the subject of the intestinal processing of lipids. When these meetings were first started in 1990, the original organizers, two of whom are editors ofthis volume (CMM and PT), had two major goals. The first was to bring together a diverse group ofinvestiga tors who had the common goal of gaining a better understanding of how the intestine ab sorbs lipids. The second was to stimulate the interest of younger individuals whom we wished to recruit into what we believed was an exciting and fruitful area ofresearch. Since that time, the field has opened up considerably with new questions being asked and new an swers obtained, suggesting that our original goals for the meetings were being met. In the same spirit, it occurred to us that there has not been a recentbook that draws to gethermuch ofthe informationavailableconcerninghow the intestineprocesses lipids. This book is intended to reach investigators with an interest in this area and their pre- and post doctoral students. The chapters are written by individuals who have a long-term interest in the areas about which they write, and many have been speakers at the subsequent FASEB conferences that have followed on the first."

This is the second volume in a series which presents the state of the art in chosen sectors of oil and fat chemistry, including its relevance to the food and pharmaceutical industries. The text in this book aims to provide an authoritative account of the use of a wide range of spectroscopic methods in the analysis of lipids, with an emphasis on topics that have attracted special attention.