Membrane Hydration: The Role of Water in the Structure and Function of Biological Membranes

This book is about the importance of water in determining the structure, stability and responsive behavior of biological membranes. Water confers to lipid membranes unique features in terms of surface and mechanical properties. The analysis of the hydration forces, plasticiser effects, controlled hydration, formation of microdomains of confined water suggests that water is an active constituent in a water—lipid system.

The chapters describe water organization at the lipid membrane–water in...