Bags of life.

Shows how research into cell membranes led to medical advances in the prevention of lung collapse in premature babies. It also holds promise for the treatment of diseases which feature changes in the cell membrane, including cancer and multiple sclerosis, and indicates better ways of encapsulating drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and, potentially, diabetes. This detailed study of the composition of the cell membrane includes historical material, recent laboratory experiments, graphics, models and cinemicroscopy.