1 The Structure of Cells (Prokaryotes, Eukaryotes) -- 1.1 Characteristics of Cells -- 1.2 Cell Organelles -- 1.3 Nuclear and Cell Division -- 1.4 Evolution of the Eucyte -- 1.5 Viruses and Bacteriophages -- 2 The Chemical Structure of Biologically Important Macromolecules -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Nucleic Acids and Their Structure -- 2.3 Proteins and Their Structure -- 3 Structure Determination of Biomolecules by Physical Methods -- 3.1 Size and Shape -- 3.2 Internal Structure -- 3.3 Electron-spin Resonance Spectroscopy -- 3.4 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy -- 4 Intra- and Intermolecular Interactions -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Primary Structure -- 4.3 Interactions Between Structural Units -- 4.4 Charge-transfer Reaction in Biomolecules -- 4.5 Conformational Transitions in Biopolymers -- 4.6 Polar Interactions, Hydration, Proton Conduction and Conformation of Biological Systems - Infrared Results -- 4.7 Debye-Hückel Theory (Forces between Molecules in Solution) -- 4.8 Polyelectrolytes and Their Interaction -- 5 Mechanisms of Energy Transfer -- 5.1 Photophysics and Photochemistry. General Principles -- 5.2 Energy Transfer Mechanisms -- 6 Radiation Biophysics. Ernst-Georg Niemann -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Radiation and Its Measurement -- 6.3 Description and Interpretation of Radiation Action -- 6.4 Molecular Effects of Radiation -- 6.5 Radiation Effects on Biomolecules and Molecular Structures -- 6.6 Radiation Effects on Cells and Organisms -- 6.7 Radiation Hazards and Radiation Protection -- 7 Isotope Methods Applied in Biology -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Stable and Radioactive Isotopes -- 7.3 Isotope Effects -- 7.4 Analytic Isotope Application -- 7.5 Some Examples for the Application of Isotopes -- 8 Energetic and Statistical Relations -- 8.1 General -- 8.2 Basic Concepts of Thermodynamics -- 8.3 Energy Flux, ATP, Transfer Potentials and Coupled Reactions -- 8.4 Statistical Interpretation of Thermodynamic Quantities -- 8.5 Theory of Absolute Reaction Rates -- 8.6 Irreversible Thermodynamics - An Overview -- 8.7 Biological Energy Conservation -- 9 Enzymes as Biological Catalysts -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 How do Enzymes work? -- 9.3 How Are Enzymes Regulated? -- 9.4 Protein Structure (Globular Proteins) -- 9.5 Examples -- 9.6 Structural Organization of Proteins -- 10 The Biological Function of Nucleic Acids -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 DNA Replication -- 10.3 Gene Expression -- 10.4 Regulation of Gene Expression -- 11 Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Self-assembly -- 11.1 General Features -- 11.2 Linear Association -- 11.3 Equilibrium -- 11.4 Kinetics -- 11.5 Size Distribution and Length Determination -- 11.6 Other Effects -- 12 Membranes -- 12.1 Biomembrane Models -- 12.2 Physical Foundations of the Molecular Organization and Dynamics of Membranes -- 12.3 Membrane Potentials -- 12.4 Control of Differentiation and Growth by Endogenous Electric Currents -- 12.5 Transport of Matter Through Biological Membranes -- 12.6 Biophysics of Respiratory Gas Transport -- 13 Photobiophysics -- 13.1 Photosynthesis -- 13.2 Photomorphogenesis -- 13.3 Bioluminescence -- 14 Biomechanics -- 14.1 The Molecular Physiology of Contractivity and Motility -- 14.2 The Biophysics of Locomotion on Land -- 14.3 The Biophysics of Locomotion in Water -- 14.4 Th Biophysics of Locomotion in Air -- 14.5 Biostatics -- 14.6 Biomechanics of the Cardiovascular System -- 14.7 Water and Solute Movement in Plants -- 15 Neurobiophysics -- 15.1 Excitation, its Conduction and Synaptic Transmission -- 15.2 Biophysics of Sensory Mechanisms -- 16 Cybernetics -- 16.1 Information Theory and Communication Theory -- 16.2 Introduction into Cybernetics of Orientation Behavior -- 16.3 System Theory of Perception Processes -- 16.4 Systems Analytical Behavioral Research: as Illustrated with the Fly -- 16.5 Aspects on Biophysics of Biological Oscillations -- 17 Evolution -- 17.1 Self-organization of Matter and Early Evolution of Life -- 17.2 From Biological Macromolecules to Protocells - The Principle of Early Evolution -- 17.3 Chemical Evolution and the Origin of Living Systems.