The hydrophobic effect and how it can be measured with relevance for cell--cell interactions

The thermodynamic nature of the hydrophobic effect, as related to the organization of water in the vicinity of biological molecules and surfaces, is discussed, as well as the biological significance of the hydrophobic effect for cell--cell interactions. Methods used to assess hydrophobic properties are compared with respect to their ability to elucidate the over-all surface characteristics, or the local surface affinity for hydrophobic compounds.