{{short description|Study of the characteristics of membranes}} '''Membrane biology''' is the study of the [[Biology|biological]] and [[Biochemistry|physiochemical]] characteristics of [[Biological membrane|membranes]], with applications in the study of cellular physiology.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Membrane biology|first1=Deepa|last1=Nath|journal=Nature|year=2005|volume=538|issue=7068|page=577|doi=10.1038/438577a|bibcode=2005Natur.438..577N|doi-access=free}}</ref>
Membrane bioelectrical impulses are described by the [[Hodgkin cycle]].
== Biophysics == Membrane [[biophysics]] is the study of [[biological membrane]] structure and function using [[Physics|physical]], [[computation]]al, [[Mathematics|mathematical]], and [[Biophysical techniques|biophysical methods]]. A combination of these methods can be used to create [[phase diagrams]] of different types of membranes, which yields information on [[thermodynamic]] behavior of a membrane and its components. As opposed to membrane biology, membrane biophysics focuses on quantitative information and modeling of various membrane phenomena, such as [[lipid raft]] formation, rates of lipid and cholesterol flip-flop, protein-lipid coupling, and the effect of bending and elasticity functions of membranes on inter-cell connections.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Membrane biophysics|first1=Joshua|last1=Zimmerberg|journal=Current Biology |year=2006|volume=16|issue=8|pages=R272–R276|doi=10.1016/j.cub.2006.03.050|pmid=16631568|doi-access=free}}</ref>
==See also== {{cmn| * [[Amphiphile]] * [[Biological membrane]] * [[Collodion bag]] * [[Lipid]] * [[Lipid polymorphism]] * [[Lipid rafts]] * [[Membrane potential]] * [[Protein–lipid interaction]] * [[Trigger zone]] }}
==References== {{reflist}}
[[Category:Membrane biology| ]] [[Category:Biophysics]]
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