Membrane biophysics

In physics, we usually want to reduce the behavior of the system to fit it to a formula. In biology, however, all the details of the system are important; their organization makes for life. Thus the organization of proteins in the plasma membrane is critical for various biological processes that occur on membranes. My purpose here is to introduce readers first to the opportunities for learning that abound in membrane biophysics, then to describe physical forces that determine membrane structure and function (especially those that impact on membrane fusion), and finally to discuss how recognizing these forces lets us think about the lateral organization of lipids and proteins in biological membranes — one of the outstanding problems in the field.