The Language of Shape: The Role of Curvature in Condensed Matter: Physics, Chemistry and Biology

Preface. 1. The Mathematics of Curvature. 2. The Lessons of Chemistry. Inorganic Chemistry: From the discrete lattice of crystal symmetry to the continuous manifolds of differential geometry. Organic Chemistry: The shape of molecules. 3. Molecular Forces and Self--Assembly. 4. Beyond Flatland. The Geometric Forms due to Self--Assembly. 5. Lipid Self--Assembly and Function in Biological Systems. Self-association of lipids in an aqueous environment. Cell membranes. 6. Folding and Function in Proteins and DNA. 7. Cytomembranes and Cubic Membrane Systems Revisited. 8. Some Miscellaneous Speculations. Templating. Supra self-assembly. Index.