Surprises in open-string perturbation theory

The perturbative analysis of models of open and closed superstrings presents a number of surprises. For instance, variable numbers of antisymmetric tensors ensure their consistency via generalized Green-Schwarz cancellations and a novel type of singularity occurs in their moduli spaces. All these features are related, in one way or another, to the presence of boundaries on the world sheet or, equivalently, of extended objects (branes) interacting with the bulk theory in space-time. String dualities have largely widened the interest in these models, that exhibit a wealth of generic non-perturbative features of string theory. (orig.)