This exhaustive reference introduces the most important fundamental concepts of physicochemical interface science and describes experimental techniques and applications of surface science in relation to biological systems. It explores artificial assemblies of lipids, proteins, and polysaccharides that perform novel functions that living systems cannot duplicate. Among countless other topics, there is coverage of cell—cell and cell—solids adhesion, electrical properties of interfaces, the chemical and physical properties of liposomes and biomembranes, and axisymmetric drop shape analysis.

From the Preface: “...The characterization of biological interfaces often requires modeling of interfacial phenomena encountered in [biological] systems by the concepts of surface science in order to analyze them in terms of basic molecular features. Major research interests center on extensive studies of adsorption phenomena that are analogous to biological situations. They are focused on the concepts of forces operating across interfaces, of electrical double layers at charged interfaces, and of the structure of water adjacent to (bio)interfaces. The adsorption or adhesion to the surface of a biocomponent more often than not triggers a change in its physicochemical properties which, in turn, affects its biological functioning. Hence, the presence of interfaces plays a crucial role in biomedicine, food processing, environmental sciences, and various other bio-technological applications...”

Target Audience: Physical chemists, food scientists, and biologists from academia and industrial communities, as well as graduate students interested in pursuing the relationships of physical chemistry and biological interfaces.

Table of Contents:

Interfacial Thermodynamics with Special Reference to Biological Systems

Electrostatic and Electrodynamic Properties of Biological Interphases

Interfacial Interactions

Proteins at Solid Surfaces

Proteins at Liquid Interfaces

Polysaccharides at Interfaces

Structure and Properties of Membranes

Attempts to Mimic Biomembrane Processes: Recognition- and Organization-Induced Functions in Biological and Synthetic Supramolecular Systems

Self-Assemblies of Biomembrane Mimics

Biosimulation with Liposomes and Lipid Monolayers

Enzymatic Reactions at Interfaces: Interfacial and Temporal Organization of Enzymatic Lipolysis

Mimicking Physics of Cell Adhesion

Physicochemistry of Microbial Adhesion from an Overall Approach to the Limits

Cell—Cell Interactions

Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis

Brewster Angle Microscopy

Ellipsometry

The Application of Neutron and X-Ray Specular Reflection to Proteins at Interfaces

Time-Resolved Fluorescence Techniques Applied to Biological Interfaces

Circular Dichroism of Proteins in Solution and at Interfaces

Infrared Spectroscopy of Biophysical Monomolecular Films at Interfaces: Theory and Applications

Fluorescence Microscopy for Studying Biological Model Systems: Phospholipid Monolayers and Chiral Discrimination Effects

Scanning Force Microscopy in Biology

Cyro-Transmission Electron Microscopy

Index