Fifty years of electro-optics - An overview of research in the field of macromolecules

The paper presents the most prominent developments in the field of electro- optical methods applied to macromolecular solutions since the advent of pul sed electro-optics in the fifties. References to appropriate review article s and books on this subject are given. Recent works from the author's labor atory on the effect of osmotic effecters on DNA condensation by multivalent cations are briefly described. They are based on circular and electric dic hroism measurements, together with precipitation experiments. These observa tions are interpreted in the frame of counterion condensation theory. (C) 1 999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.