title: Introduction: membrane properties (good) for life.
abstract: Membranes protect cells from the surrounding environment but also provide a means for the optimization of processes such as metabolism, signalling, or mitogenesis. Membrane structure and function is determined by its molecular composition. How lipid species define membrane properties is discussed in this introductory chapter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysical Chemistry, J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 2155/3, 182 23, Prague 8, Czech Republic, marek.cebecauer@jh-inst.cas.cz.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cebecauer
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D002784:Cholesterol