Modeling and simulation of lipid membranes

Cell membranes separate the interior of cells and the exterior environment, providing protection, controlling the passage of substances, and governing the interaction with other biomolecules and signalling processes. They are complex structures that, mainly driven by the hydrophobic effect [1], are based upon phospholipid bilayer assemblies containing sterols, glycolipids, and a wide variety of proteins located both at the exterior surface and spanning the membrane [2,3]. There exist a large number of different types of phospholipids, each with a given function, although we understand only a small fraction of them [4]. Recently, studies of the physical and biochemical characteristics of lipid molecules as been referred to as lipidomics [5] in recognition of their fundamental importance for the understanding of cell biology.Postprint (author's final draft