ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on key elements of force generation driven by subcellular nanoscale machinery. Molecular biological machines such as chemomechanical motors, chemoosmotic pumps, and osmomechanical turbines work under isothermal conditions far from the thermodynamic equilibrium. All machines require specific parts such as screws, springs, cams, gears, and pulleys in order to function. Likewise, all biological machines must have many well engineered parts to work, for example, organs such as the liver, kidney, and heart. In general, a chemochemical machine can be viewed as a black box entered and exited by the molecules that take part in both coupled chemical reactions. At a macroscopic level, the action of molecular pumps and motors manifests as a directed transport of a substance. The possible functioning of mesoscopic machines on a macroscopic scale is due to appropriate organization of the statistical ensemble.
