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Biological membranes play a key role in structural-functional organization of any cells. Membranes constitute 65% of the cell dry weight, of them 40% belong to lipids and 60% to simple and conjugate proteins. Membranes separate cell into functional units (divisions); as a result, cell operates as a complicated factory in miniature. Besides, membranes integrate the operation of cell as a whole. Cell is an open system. It steadily exchanges weight, energy and information with the environment. This process also involves the biological (cell) membranes. All biological membranes are liquid-crystalline structures. They consist of phospholipids bilayer, with simple and conjugate proteins immersed in it. These are various membranebound enzymes, transmembrane carriers (of glucose, Na+ and K+ ions, and others), and hormone receptors that serve as signal mechanisms of the cell. Structure-forming bonds in liquid crystals are represented by covalent and hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. These are the low-energy binding: covalent bonds — 50-100 kcal/mol, hydrogen bonds — about 6 kcal/mol. Between fatty acid tails of phospholipids there is a large amount of water dipoles. Such structure of the membrane provides high mobility of its structural components relative to each other. Membranes are reinforced by cholesterol molecules, which strengthen the hydrophobic interactions. Such membrane responds to external action as a cooperative system.

Thermodynamics and Mesomechanics of Nanostructural Transitions in Biological Membranes as Liquid Crystals