142. Kuga, S. and R. M. Brown, Jr. 1991.
Physical Structure of Cellulose Microfibrils: Implications for
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142. Introduction
At present, the science of cellulose seems
to be entering a new and dynamic stage of activity as a result
of recent progress in structural and biological studies. While
no cellulose scientist has doubted the fundamental role of the
biogenic mechanism in determining the structure of native celluloses,
our knowledge in both of these fields has been frustratingly limited.
·A series of findings in the last few years, however, provided
clues toward understanding the basic features of the molecular
construction of cellulose microfibrils in diverse organisms.
In this chapter we will attempt to describe and organize these
new findings in such a way as to give an overview of this rapidly
evolving branch of cellulose research.