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Biophysica
Special Issues
Biophysical Methods to Study Membrane Models, Cells, and Tissues
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Biophysical Methods to Study Membrane Models, Cells, and Tissues

A special issue of Biophysica (ISSN 2673-4125).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 2802

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Giuseppe Maulucci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy
2. Institute of Physics, Catholic University of Rome, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
Interests: metabolic imaging; fluorescence microscopy; membrane biophysics; artificial intelligence; biophysical methods; instrumentation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The study of membrane models, cells, and tissues provides critical insights into the structural and functional properties of biological membranes, which are central to numerous physiological and pathological processes. Advances in biophysical methods have significantly enhanced our ability to investigate the dynamic behavior and interactions of membranes at the molecular level. This Special Issue aims to highlight cutting-edge biophysical techniques and their applications in studying membrane models, ranging from lipid bilayers and vesicles to complex membrane systems. We invite original research articles, reviews, and methodological papers that address innovative approaches, novel findings, or comprehensive overviews in this field.

We hope that this special issue will serve as a platform to share advancements and foster collaboration among researchers working in membrane biophysics and related areas. Contributions from multidisciplinary perspectives, including physics, chemistry, biology, and computational modeling, are particularly encouraged.

Dr. Giuseppe Maulucci
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biophysica is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • membrane models
  • biophysical methods
  • lipid bilayers
  • fluorescence microscopy
  • metabolic imaging
  • computational modeling

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 5135 KB  
Article
Investigating the Role of Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease Through Computational Modeling
by Shamima Akter, Ghanim Ullah and Aman Ullah
Biophysica 2026, 6(3), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/biophysica6030042 - 11 May 2026
Viewed by 166
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, characterized by the progressive accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of tau protein in and around neurons. However, these markers appear relatively late in the disease, and their direct causality [...] Read more.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, characterized by the progressive accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of tau protein in and around neurons. However, these markers appear relatively late in the disease, and their direct causality is incompatible with clinical observations. Extensive data suggest that dysregulation of Ca2+ signaling is an early event in the pathogenesis of AD. In familial AD (FAD), mutations in presenilin are shown to alter Ca2+ homeostasis by affecting the gating properties and/or the expression levels of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptors (IP3Rs) and ryanodine receptor (RyRs)—the main channels responsible for Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Thus, understanding the mechanism through which these channels disrupt Ca2+ homeostasis at different spatiotemporal scales is crucial to determining their role in AD. Here, we use computational modeling to investigate how the gating kinetics of single IP3R in FAD-affected cells differ from those in wildtype (WT) cells and how these differences translate to impaired Ca2+ signaling at subcellular and whole-cell levels. Our detailed analysis reveals a significantly lower threshold for Ca2+ oscillations at the whole-cell level in terms of agonist concentration, with higher frequency and amplitudes in FAD-affected cells. These results shed new light on the observed Ca2+ hyperactivity in the pre-clinical stage of AD, reporting high-frequency Ca2+ oscillations in neurons. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biophysical Methods to Study Membrane Models, Cells, and Tissues)
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12 pages, 2255 KB  
Article
Chemical Characterization and Antiproliferative Evaluation of Compounds Isolated from White Shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) By-Products
by Héctor Enrique Trujillo-Ruiz, Dania Guadalupe Leal-Rodríguez, Hisila del Carmen Santacruz-Ortega, Oliviert Martínez-Cruz, Sandra Carolina De La Reé-Rodríguez, Armando Burgos-Hernández, Erika Silva-Campa, Ángel Antonio Carbonell-Barrachina and Carmen María López-Saiz
Biophysica 2026, 6(2), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/biophysica6020017 - 25 Feb 2026
Viewed by 583
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, requiring more effective treatments. By-products from the white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) are a promising source of bioactive compounds. Compounds with antiproliferative activity were isolated and identified in exoskeleton and cephalothorax extracts. The [...] Read more.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, requiring more effective treatments. By-products from the white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) are a promising source of bioactive compounds. Compounds with antiproliferative activity were isolated and identified in exoskeleton and cephalothorax extracts. The hexane extract of the exoskeleton reduced the viability of Human Prostate Carcinoma cell line (22Rv1) to 40.6% without toxicity in Adult Retinal Pigment Epithelium-19 (ARPE-19). Among the 19 fractions obtained, H3 reduced cell viability to 20.78%. Spectroscopic analysis identified bis(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate, neoxanthin, and violaxanthin. Fluorescence microscopy showed morphological alterations. These findings demonstrate in vitro antiproliferative activity of compounds derived from shrimp by-products and support further studies to elucidate their mechanisms of action and evaluate their potential relevance in cancer prevention or therapeutic research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biophysical Methods to Study Membrane Models, Cells, and Tissues)
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26 pages, 2269 KB  
Article
Laser Trapping Technique for Measuring Ionization Energy and Identifying Hemoglobin Through Charge Quantification in Blood Samples
by Endris M. Endris, Deresse A. Adem, Horace T. Crogman and Daniel B. Erenso
Biophysica 2025, 5(4), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/biophysica5040056 - 18 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1099
Abstract
We present a proof-of-concept study using a laser trapping (LT) approach to characterize hemoglobin variants through controlled dielectric breakdown of red blood cell membranes. Using a 1064 nm infrared laser, we analyzed 62 cells from each of four hemoglobin types (Hb AS, Hb [...] Read more.
We present a proof-of-concept study using a laser trapping (LT) approach to characterize hemoglobin variants through controlled dielectric breakdown of red blood cell membranes. Using a 1064 nm infrared laser, we analyzed 62 cells from each of four hemoglobin types (Hb AS, Hb FA, Hb FSC, Hb AC), measuring the ionization time, cell area, and trap displacement to calculate the apparent threshold ionization energy (TIE*) and apparent threshold radiation dose (TRD*). Post-ionization trajectories and radiation intensity measurements provided charge distribution profiles for each variant. Our results indicate variant-specific differences in TRD* and charge-to-volume ratios across adults and infants (p < 0.05), while the TIE* values remained largely consistent. Charge analysis revealed statistically significant variation between some groups, suggesting that TRD* and charge-based parameters may offer sensitive markers of hemoglobin heterogeneity. This work demonstrates the feasibility of laser trapping as a complementary single-cell method for hemoglobin analysis. While limited in sample size, the approach highlights the potential of TIE* and TRD* measurements for differentiating hemoglobin variants and suggests future applications in hemoglobinopathy screening and diagnostic research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biophysical Methods to Study Membrane Models, Cells, and Tissues)
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