Book Reviews 2807 Mechanics of Motor Proteins and the

The recent developments in single molecule technology, especially in the field of single molecule mechanics and fluorescence measurements, have made it possible to study the basic mechanisms of cellular motility, such as intracellular vesicle trafficking, endo- and exocytosis, muscle contraction and cell locomotion, in unprecedented detail. Cellular motility is a form of nanotechnology devised by nature and has come into focus not only for biologists but also for engineers and physicists who are on the look out for novel solutions to technical questions in the man-made world. Mechanics of Motor Proteins and the Cytoskeleton by Jonathon Howard is an excellent introduction into the molecular mechanisms that underlie the morphology and motility of cells. The book is aimed at an interdisciplinary readership, including students of biology, physics and engineering. Howard has divided his book into three parts. The first deals with the physical principles of protein mechanics. The second is about the structures of the cytoskeleton and the forces and motilities it can generate. Finally, he discusses the structures and functions of motor proteins and how these account for the macroscopic properties of complex motile systems like muscles