The Giant Vesicle Book

"Giant vesicles are artificial membrane systems used in basic biological research, applied research on smart materials, and medical and pharmaceutical applications. This massive volume provides a collection of 30 review articles, each an independent chapter, on this important topic. Editors Dimova (Max Planck Institute) and Marques (French National Centre for Scientific Research) are experts in the field, and the contributors represent an international group, with the majority of authors hailing from European countries. The chapters cover a diverse array of topics, including biophysics, cell and molecular biology, and physical chemistry. Because biophysics is a consideration, many chapters feature detailed mathematical treatments. The early part of the book provides a good summary of the field and its fundamental concepts. The articles are well referenced, drawing from the primary literature, and most include citations up to 2018. The book is beautifully illustrated with nice figures and callout boxes that highlight important protocols-some parts of the book resemble an advanced textbook. Chapter 4 (on the cytoskeleton) and chapter 10 (on light microscopy) were particularly informative to this reviewer. Chapters 15 and 19 provide web links to videos illustrating important concepts in vesicle dynamics. Several appendixes on topics such as membrane dyes and detergents are included."
-J. Z. Kiss, UNC-Greensboro, in CHOICE November 2020