The need for publishing acomprehensive review ofa number ofdifferent membrane pathologiesofmuscleand non-musclecells inillnesses ranging from diabetes toheart disease and cancer lies on to the fact that there are several books dealing with the properties ofnormal cell membranes, although there are very few books focussing on the abnormal membrane behavior. Since the membrane is the critical outer barrier of a cell, this membrane could be the first structure to be affected in some diseases. Research is advancing at the cellular level at a very rapid rate. We can now address questions such as:...

The need for publishing acomprehensive review ofa number ofdifferent membrane pathologiesofmuscleand non-musclecells inillnesses ranging from diabetes toheart disease and cancer lies on to the fact that there are several books dealing with the properties ofnormal cell membranes, although there are very few books focussing on the abnormal membrane behavior. Since the membrane is the critical outer barrier of a cell, this membrane could be the first structure to be affected in some diseases. Research is advancing at the cellular level at a very rapid rate. We can now address questions such as:...