ADSORPTION, MOLECULAR-EXCHANGE AND DEFECT FORMATION IN MEMBRANES

The past year has seen significant advances in our understanding of th e key factors involved in determining whether a macromolecule or collo idal particle can reach, bind to, and absorb into lipid bilayer membra nes. The highlights include the need to combine both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions to achieve stable binding, the influence-of membrane dipoles, the molecular-scale filter provided by grafted polym ers, and the recognition that surfactants and peptides form defects th at depend on their aggregated state in the membrane.