Mechanics of the Cell

Biological physics, the application of physics to provide an understanding of biological phenomena, is a new burgeoning subject. This explores the physics behind the architecture of a cell's envelope and internal scaffolding, as well as the properties of its soft components. It discusses the properties of individual flexible polymers, networks and membranes, and then considers simple composite assemblages such as bacteria and synthetic cells. Analysis is performed within a consistent mathematical framework, although readers can navigate from the introductory material to biological applications without working through the intervening mathematics.