Ultrastructure of Protein Fibers

Ultrastructure of Protein Fibers covers the papers presented at a symposium of the 19th annual meeting of the Electron Microscope Society of America, held at the Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 21, 1961. The book focuses on the composition, characteristics, properties, and reactions of protein fibers. The selection first offers information on some essential aspects of protein fiber research, including the elucidation of the fundamental ultra-architecture of proteins in general; identification of the biological role played by fibrous proteins in living organisms; and the use of protein fibers as a natural resource in the form of raw materials and finished products. The manuscript then examines the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of protein fibers, collagen, and keratins. The text takes a look at some aspects of the ultrastructure of bacterial flagella and feather keratin and fibrous protein systems in muscles. Topics include possible change in myofilament structure underlying the catch function; physiological functions of the fibrous proteins of muscles; organization of the fibrous proteins in muscles; and other functions of fibrous proteins in muscles. The selection is a valuable reference for researchers interested in the ultrastructure of protein fibers.