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Article

Biomembrane phase transitions

FEB 01, 1978
In cell membranes, which are among the principal organizational structures of living matter, phase transitions appear to be biologically significant, not just phenomena that happen to occur.
John F. Nagle
Hugh L. Scott

Along with DNA and proteins, cell membranes are among the principal organizational structures of living matter. Over the past decade the study of cell membranes has become a focus of effort ranging from the very biologically oriented to the very physically oriented. One property that is especially appropriate for physical studies is the phase transition that occurs in many cell membranes.

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References

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  11. 11. W. W. Webb, in Electrical Phenomena at the Biological Membrane Level (E. Roux, ed.), Elsevier (1977), pages 119–156.

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More about the authors

John F. Nagle, Carnegie–Mellon University, Pittsburgh.

Hugh L. Scott, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.

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This Content Appeared In
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Volume 31, Number 2

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