Main description:

In the first volume, Fundamental Concepts in Biophysics, the authors lay down a foundation for biophysics study. Rajiv Singh opens the book by pointing to the central importance of "Mathematical Methods in Biophysics". William Fink follows with a discussion on "Quantum Mechanics Basic to Biophysical Methods". Together, these two chapters establish some of the principles of mathematical physics underlying many biophysics techniques. Because computer modeling forms an intricate part of biophysics research, Subhadip Raychaudhuri and colleagues introduce the use of computer modeling in "Computational Modeling of Receptor-Ligand Binding and Cellular Signaling Processes". Yin Yeh and coworkers bring to the reader's attention the physical basis underlying the common use of fluorescence spectroscopy in biomedical research in their chapter "Fluorescence Spectroscopy". Electrophysiologists have also applied biophysics techniques in the study of membrane proteins, and Tsung-Yu Chen et al. explore stochastic processes of ion transport in their "Electrophysiological Measurements of Membrane Proteins". Michael Saxton takes up a key biophysics question about particle distribution and behavior in systems with spatial or temporal inhomogeneity in his chapter "Single-Particle Tracking". Finally, in "NMR Measurement of Biomolecule Diffusion", Thomas Jue explains how magnetic resonance techniques can map biomolecule diffusion in the cell to a theory of respiratory control.

This book thus launches the Handbook of Modern Biophysics series and sets up for the reader some of the fundamental concepts underpinning the biophysics issues to be presented in future volumes.

Contents:

1 Mathematical Methods in Biophysics
Rajiv R.P. Singh
1.1. Functions of One Variable and Ordinary Differential Equations
1.2. Functions of Several Variables: Diffusion Equation in One Dimension
1.3. Random Walks and Diffusion
1.4. Random Variables, Probability Distribution, Mean, and Variance
1.5. Diffusion Equation in Three Dimensions
1.6. Complex Numbers, Complex Variables, and Schroedinger's Equation
1.7. Solving Linear Homogeneous Differential Equations
1.8. Fourier Transforms
1.9. Nonlinear Equations: Patterns, Switches and Oscillators
2 Quantum Mechanics Basic to Biophysical Methods
William Fink
2.1. Quantum Mechanics Postulates
2.2. One-Dimensional Problems
2.3. The Harmonic Oscillator
2.4. The Hydrogen Atom
2.5. Approximate Methods
2.6. Many Electron Atoms and Molecules
2.7. The Interaction of Matter and Light
3 Computational Modeling of Receptor-Ligand Binding and Cellular Signaling Processes
Subhadip Raychaudhuri, Philippos Tsourkas, and Eric Willgohs
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Differential Equation-Based Mean-Field Modeling
3.3. Application: Clustering of Receptor-Ligand Complexes
3.4. Modeling Membrane Deformation as a Result of Receptor-Ligand Binding
3.5. Limitations of Mean-Field Differential Equation-Based Modeling
3.6. Master Equation: Calculating the Time Evolution of a Chemically Reacting System
3.7. Stochastic Simulation Algorithm (SSA) of Gillespie
3.8. Application of the Stochastic Simulation Algorithm (SSA)
3.9. Free Energy-Based Metropolis Monte Carlo Simulation
3.10. Application of Metropolis Monte Carlo Algorithm
3.11. Stochastic Simulation Algorithm with Reaction and Diffusion:Probabilistic Rate Constant-Based Method
3.12. Mapping Probabilistic and Physical Parameters
3.13. Modeling Binding between Multivalent Receptors and Ligands

3.14. Multivalent Receptor-Ligand Binding and Multimolecule Signaling Complex Formation
3.15. Application of Stochastic Simulation Algorithm with Reaction and Diffusion
3.16. Choosing the Most Efficient Simulation Method
3.17. Summary
4 Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Yin Yeh, Samantha Fore, and Huawen Wu
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Fundamental Process of Fluorescence
4.3. Fluorescence Microscopy
4.4. Types of Biological Fluorophores
4.5. Application of Fluorescence in Biophysical Research

4.6. Dynamic Processes Probed by Fluorescence
5 Electrophysiological Measurements of Membrane Proteins
Tsung-Yu Chen, Yu-Fung Lin, and Jie Zheng
5.1. Membrane Bioelectricity
5.2. Electrochemical Driving Force
5.3. Voltage Clamp versus Current Clamp
5.4. Principles of Silver Chloride Electrodes
5.5. Capacitive Current and Ionic Current
5.6. Gating and Permeation Functions of Ion Channels
5.7. Two-Electrode Voltage Clamp for Xenopus Oocyte Recordings
5.8. Patch-Clamp Recordings
5.9. Patch-Clamp Fluorometry
6 Single-Particle Tracking
Michael J. Saxton
6.1. Introduction
6.2. The Broader Field
6.3. Labeling the Dots
6.4. Locating the Dots
6.5. Connecting the Dots
6.6. Interpreting the Dots: Types of Motion
6.7. Is It Really a Single Particle?
6.8. Enhancing z-Resolution
6.9. Can a Single Fluorophore Be Seen in a Cell?
6.10. Colocalization
6.11. Example: Motion in the Plasma Membrane Is More Complicated