Our Molecular Nature: The Body S Motors, Machines and Messages

Our Molecular Nature is a richly illustrated introduction to the extraordinary world of the molecules that are responsible for life. David Goodsell - scientist, artist, and author of the highly praised book The Machinery of Life - has synthesized a vast amount of technical data and presents it in a readable and stimulating manner. He examines topics ranging from the molecules that give cells their shape to the molecules responsible for the immune system, digestion, and thought. Focusing on the extraordinary progress in understanding life at the level of molecules, Goodsell guides us through such discoveries as why cyanide poisons us so quickly, what the single enzyme is that makes some of us lactose intolerant, and how cholesterol can be a double-edged sword: essential in our membranes, but harmful in our blood. This is a remarkable journey through a world both familiar and mysterious - our own bodies.