Visualizing Biological Membrane Organization and Dynamics.

Biological membranes are fascinating. Santiago Ramón y Cajal, who received the Nobel prize in 1906 together with Camillo Golgi for their work on the nervous system, wrote "[…]in the study of this membrane[…] I felt more profoundly than in any other subject of study the shuddering sensation of the unfathomable mystery of life"†. The visualization and conceptualization of these biological objects have profoundly shaped many aspects of modern biology, drawing inspiration from experiments, computer simulations, and the imagination of scientists and artists. The aim of this review is to provide a fresh look on current ideas of biological membrane organization and dynamics by discussing selected examples across fields.