Nanostructures in Biological Systems

Aleš Iglič is professor of biophysics and head of the Laboratory of Biophysics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. His research interests are in electrostatics, biomechanics, and statistical physics of biological membranes and lipid nanostructures. Veronika Kralj-Iglič is professor of biophysics and biomechanics and head of the Laboratory of Clinical Biophysics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana. Her research interests are in electrostatics, biomechanics, and statistical physics of biological membranes and membrane nanostructures. Damjana Drobne is professor of environmental toxicology and zoology and head of the group for nanobiology and nanotoxicology, University of Ljubljana. She has more than 20 years expertise in toxicity testing with environmental organisms. She has co-authored and authored more than 90 original scientific publications so far.

Introduction: Nanostructures and Nanoparticles in Biological Systems. Description of Systems Composed of Large Number of Constituents. Lipid Nanostructures. Physics of Lipid Micro- and Nanostructures. Nanotubes of Biological Membranes. Spherical Budding of Biological Membrane. Exogenous Membrane Attached Nanoparticles. Membrane Electrostatics. Membranous Nanostructures as in vivo Cell-to-Cell Transport Mechanisms. Lipid Vesicles and Cells as Tools in Nanotoxicity Studies.