In plant cells, the plasma membrane is a highly elaborated structure that functions as the point of exchange with adjoining cells, cell walls and the external environment. Transactions at the plasma membrane include uptake of water and essential mineral nutrients, gas exchange, movement of metabolites, transport and perception of signaling molecules, and initial responses to external biota. Selective transporters control the rates and direction of small molecule movement across the membrane barrier and manipulate the turgor that maintains plant form and drives plant cell expansion. The plasma membrane provides an environment in which molecular and macromolecular interactions are enhanced by the clustering of proteins in oligimeric complexes for more efficient retention of biosynthetic intermediates, and by the anchoring of protein complexes to promote regulatory interactions. The coupling of signal perception at the membrane surface with intracellular second messengers also involves transduction across the plasma membrane. Finally, the generation and ordering of the external cell walls involves processes mediated at the plant cell surface by the plasma membrane. This volume is divided into three sections. The first section describes the basic mechanisms that regulate all plasma membrane functions. The second describes plasma membrane transport activity. The final section of the book describes signaling interactions at the plasma membrane. These topics are given a unique treatment in this volume, as the discussions are restricted to the plasma membrane itself as much as possible. A more complete knowledge of the plasma membrane's structure and function is essential to current efforts to increase the sustainability of agricultural production of food, fiber, and fuel crops.

A number of chapters present the most novel research on testicular and epididymal functions or on more general fields of hormone action and molecular cell biology as it is now a tradition. However, exceptionally, the book also contains several chapters dealing with the "Approaches and Tools in the Third Millenium." The unusual inclusion of technologies as such in the 2000 edition of the workshop was an absolute necessity, as these technologies are revolutionizing the fields of biology and medicine and, in many instances, how to do research. This volume gives the scientific community essential information about the very latest technical developments and their potential for future progress.

Plant tissue culture (PTC) is basic to all plant biotechnologies and is an exciting area of basic and applied sciences with considerable scope for further research. PTC is also the best approach to demonstrate the totipotency of plant cells, and to exploit it for numerous practical applications. It offers technologies for crop improvement (Haploid and Triploid production, In Vitro Fertilization, Hybrid Embryo Rescue, Variant Selection), clonal propagation (Micropropagation), virus elimination (Shoot Tip Culture), germplasm conservation, production of industrial phytochemicals, and regeneration of plants from genetically manipulated cells by recombinant DNA technology (Genetic Engineering) or cell fusion (Somatic Hybridization and Cybridization). Considerable work is being done to understand the physiology and genetics of in vitro embryogenesis and organogenesis using model systems, especially Arabidopsis and carrot, which is likely to enhance the efficiency of in vitro regeneration protocols. All these aspects are covered extensively in the present book. Since the first book on Plant Tissue Culture by Prof. P.R. White in 1943, several volumes describing different aspects of PTC have been published. Most of these are compilation of invited articles by different experts or proceedings of conferences. More recently, a number of books describing the Methods and Protocols for one or more techniques of PTC have been published which should serve as useful laboratory manuals. The impetus for writing this book was to make available a complete and up-to-date text covering all basic and applied aspects of PTC for the students and early-career researchers of plant sciences and plant / agricultural biotechnology. The book comprises of nineteen chapters profusely illustrated with self-explanatory illustrations. Most of the chapters include well-tested protocols and relevant media compositions that should be helpful in conducting laboratory experiments. For those interested in further details, Suggested Further Reading is given at the end of each chapter, and a Subject and Plant Index is provided at the end of the book.

Since the first international meeting on Vitamin B6 involvement in catalysis took place in 1962, there have been periodic meetings every three or four years. In 1990, scientists studying another cofactor, PQQ, which had already attracted the scientific community's interest for its possible involvement in amino acid decarboxylation and reactions involving amino groups, joined forces with those investigating pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzymes. Since then, the international PQQ/quinoproteins meetings have been held jointly. In the years following the original meeting 37 years ago in Rome, Italy, the scientific gatherings have taken place in Moscow, Russia (1966); Nagoya, Japan (1967); Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Russia (1974); Toronto, Canada (1979); Athens, Greece (1983); Turku, Finland (1987); Osaka, Japan (1990); and Capri, Italy (1996). For the first time in the history of these symposia, the international meeting was held in the United States, from October 31 through November 5, 1999, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The scientific program focus shifted significantly beyond the original emphasis on catalysis to aspects such as cellular and genetic regulation of events involving proteins that require pyridoxal phosphate or quinoproteins. The growing awareness of the involvement of these proteins in biotechnology processes and fundamental physiological events, as well as their implication in diseases, was also represented, with emphasis on the molecular basis of these events. The meeting was symposium S278, sponsored by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB).

"After being frequently urged to write upon this subject, and as often declining to do it, from apprehension of my own inability, I am at length compelled to take up the pen, however unqualified I may still feel myself for the task. " William Withering, M. D. ' I have yet to find a description or a quote that better summanzes my initial ambivalence towards embarking on such an endeavor as partici pating in putting together this monograph. The impetus for The Red-Cell has been a simple, genuine Membrane: A Model for Solute Transport desire to bring together an authoritative account of the' 'state of the art and knowledge" in the red-ceIl-membrane transport field. In particular, it seems important to emphasize the pivotal role the red cell has played for several decades in the discovery and the elucidation of mechanisms of plasma-membrane transport processes. It is only with such knowledge that we can hope to push ahead and make progress in this exciting, multifaceted area. Eventually, one hopes to not only further our knowledge of red cells, but apply the newly gained insights to any other of the plasma membrane. cell with the common denominator In this compendium of reviews, the reader will find that the term model will take on a variety of gists and meanings. In some chapters, the red cell has been chosen as a model membrane solely on the basis of its preeminent design and simplicity."

Dr. Spirin is a world authority on ribosomes and has published two earlier books in this area in English. This text is for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students and will cover the structure, function, and biosynthesis of ribosomes. Ribosomes are important in protein synthesis, which is currently a hot topic in many different areas of research.

Cardiovascular Proteomics: Methods and Protocols presents cutting-edge protocols and strategies for proteomic evaluation of cardiovascular disease written by pioneering researchers in the field. Topics explored in this comprehensive volume include obtaining specific heart proteins, cutting-edge techniques for identifying risk biomarkers of atherome plaque rupture, analyzing the secretome of explanted endarterectomies cultured in vitro, and phage display techniques for deciphering the molecular diversity of blood vessels. Detailed protocols for the isolation of short- and long-term culture of the adult mouse cardiac myocytes are also included.

Numerous advanced proteomic techniques are addressed, including protein separation by two-dimensional electrophoresis and two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis, liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, and the SELDI-TOF approach to searching for biomarkers of stroke in human serum or of hypertension in the serum of animal models. Proteomic strategies and protocols for studying the proteome of endothelial, arterial smooth muscle cells, foam cells, and circulating blood monocytes constitute a major element of this text. Cutting-edge techniques for the analysis of subproteomes from isolation to final characterization and the characterization of posttranslational modifications are also addressed. This useful snapshot of current proteomic techniques is a single source for protocols for the identification and validation of novel biomarkers and targets in cardiovascular diseases.

In Bilayer Lipid Membranes. Structure and Mechanical Properties the authors use new methods of measurement, which they have themselves developed, to present an analysis of the relation between membrane structure and viscoelastic properties, in particular in the transversal direction. Hianik and Passechnik's approach is fundamentally different from the usual one, in that they analyze lipid bilayer dynamics during various modes of deformation, arriving at a new, three-layer' model that accounts for the great heterogeneity of biomembranes. The macroscopic parameters of membranes have been measured using a wide variety of methods, leading to a discussion of the correlations between the parameters. There is also an extensive discussion of the dynamic changes in mechanical properties of lipid bilayers in the course of conformational transition of integral proteins. During the conformational changes of proteins, the structure of a bilayer undergoes a transition, reaching a new, stable membrane state. The book is the first to present a comprehensive analysis of long-distance interaction in lipid bilayers and of molecular mechanisms of mechanoreception. Audience: Scientists and graduate students working in biophysics, membranology, physiology, medicine, pharmacology, bioelectronics, electrochemistry, and colloid chemistry.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a soil bacterium that for more than a century has been known as a pathogen causing the plant crown gall disease. Unlike many other pathogens, Agrobacterium has the ability to deliver DNA to plant cells and permanently alter the plant genome. The discovery of this unique feature 30 years ago has provided plant scientists with a powerful tool to genetically transform plants for both basic research purposes and for agricultural development. Compared to physical transformation methods such as particle bomba- ment or electroporation, Agrobacterium-mediated DNA delivery has a number of advantages. One of the features is its propensity to generate a single or a low copy number of integrated transgenes with defined ends. Integration of a single transgene copy into the plant genome is less likely to trigger "gene silencing" often associated with multiple gene insertions. When the first edition of Agrobacterium Protocols was published in 1995, only a handful of plants could be routinely transformed using Agrobacterium. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is now commonly used to introduce DNA into many plant species, including monocotyledon crop species that were previously considered non-hosts for Agrobacterium. Most remarkable are recent developments indicating that Agrobacterium can also be used to deliver DNA to non-plant species including bacteria, fungi, and even mammalian cells.

In 1961, neurobiologists found that the conduction velocity of the nerve impulse in the giant nerve fiber of the" Penaeus "shrimp abdominal nerve cord was over 200 m/s, the highest speed of information transmission ever observed in the animal kingdom. The peculiar myelin sheath with its unique nodal structure and the electrical properties of the nerve fibers of the shrimp have continued to be investigated for a quarter of century and are now fully described in this book. The investigation dispels the commonly held belief that the fastest recorded impulse conduction is about 120 m/s in the thickest vertebrate myelinated nerve fibers. In the shrimp, researchers found a completely novel type of functional node in the giant fiber which they designated as the fenestration node. In portions of the myelinated fiber, the fenestration node furnished the sites of excitation. Also discovered was a new strategy for increasing impulse conduction in the shrimp. The book includes a section on the formation of the fenestration node and the discovery of a strategy that allows the shrimp to escape its predators by an action of the fastest velocity. The data presented in this volume on the myelin sheath of invertebrates present a new direction for this field and a rich source of information for neurobiologists worldwide.

This book provides detailed and comprehensive information on oxidative damage caused by stresses in plants with especial reference to the metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In plants, as in all aerobic organisms, ROS are common by-products formed by the inevitable leakage of electrons onto O2 from the electron transport activities located in chloroplasts, mitochondria, peroxisomes and in plasma membranes or as a consequence of various metabolic pathways confined in different cellular loci. Environmental stresses such as heat, cold, drought, salinity, heavy-metal toxicity, ozone and ultraviolet radiation as well as pathogens/contagion attack lead to enhanced generation of ROS in plants due to disruption of cellular homeostasis. ROS play a dual role in plants; at low concentrations they act as signaling molecules that facilitate several responses in plant cells, including those promoted by biotic and abiotic agents. In divergence, at high levels they cause damage to cellular constituents triggering oxidative stress. In either case, small antioxidant molecules and enzymes modulate the action of these ambivalent species.

'frees contribute a major part of fuel, fodder and fruit, and are an im of bioenergy. They are now needed in large numbers more portant source than ever before for afforestation and social forestry, so that fast-grow ing and multipurpose trees assume great importance. After extensive in discriminate deforestation and rapid depletion of genetic stocks, efforts are now being made to evolve methods for clonal mass propagation of improved and elite trees. Production of short-duration trees with a rapid turnover of biomass, and induction of genetic variability through in vitro manipulation for the production of novel fruit and forest trees, which are high-yielding and resistant to pests and diseases, and trees which display increased photosynthetic efficiency are in demand. These objectives are well within the realm of horticultural and forest biotech nology. Some of the recent advances, such as the regeneration of com plete trees from isolated protoplasts, somatic hybridization, and the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in various tree species have opened new vistas for the genetic engineering of fruit and forest trees. This book is a continuation of the earlier volume Trees I, and presents 31 chapters on fruit, forest, nut and ornamental trees, such as avocado, pineapple, crabapple, quince, pistachio, walnut, hazelnut, date palm, oil palm, cacao, rubber, maple, sweet-gum, poplars, birches, Chinese tallow, willows, oaks, paper mulberry, rhododendrons, Scots pine, Calabrian pine, Douglas-fir, redwood, ginkgo, cycads and some flowering trees."

Human neurological and neuromuscular disorders caused by nucleotide expansion are the focus of growing interest of practicing physicians and of interested biomedical researchers. This volume represents a comprehensive and up-to-date description of many of the better-studied disorders. The authors discuss molecular, clinical and pathological aspects of the diseases as well as our current understanding of their underlying mechanisms.

This book is a compilation of presentations at the first meeting devoted to the mo lecular and cellular biology of copper transport. When we first considered the possible program for the meeting, we felt that a forum to integrate the recent advances in molecular understanding of copper transport with the older knowledge of copper metabolism was needed. In addition we wished to have a strong emphasis on the diseases of copper includ ing the genetic diseases, Menkes and Wilson, and other possible health aspects of this met al seen from a molecular perspective. Overall we were very happy with the success of the meeting, and most participants were very enthusiastic. Unfortunately we were not able to obtain manuscripts from every contributor, but the selection in this book covers most of the topics discussed. The history of biological research into copper dates from the latter half of the last century when the presence of copper as a component of living systems was first noted, but it was not until the 1920s that the essential role of copper was first recognized. l. S. McHargue found that plants and animals needed copper for optimal growth and health and proposed that copper was needed for life (McHargue, 1925). Other groups soon confirmed these observations in plants. In animals the requirement of copper for hematopoiesis was discovered in 1928 (Hart et aI."

This volume focuses on detecting different cellular stresses, measuring pathological consequences within the cell, and investigating the role of cellular stresses in select diseases. In addition, this book reviews the crosstalk between different stress pathways, stress responses during ageing, and targeting stress for regenerative medicine. Written in the highly successful Methods of Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and instructive, Stress Responses: Methods and Protocols seeks to aid scientists to further study multiple stress pathways and outcomes triggered by such stresses. In depth knowledge of cellular stress will eventually lead to the development of novel therapeutics to prevent or treat related diseases.

This thesis describes the use of biophysical and biochemical methods to prove that calcium has a positive feedback effect on amplifying and sustaining CD3 phosphorylation and should enhance T-cell sensitivity to foreign antigens. The study presented shows that calcium can regulate the signal pathway in cells not only as a secondary messenger but also through direct interactions with the phospholipid bilayer. The approach used in the thesis also represents an important advance, as it couples the use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to the analysis of signaling phenomena in living cells. Moreover, the thesis optimizes the Nanodisc assembly protocol, which can broaden its range of applications in membrane protein studies. A preliminary study on the structure of dengue virus NS2B-NS3p in complex with aprotinin, which may help to develop new drugs against the dengue virus, is also included.

Selective cytoplasmic organelle and protein targeting has long been thought to constitute the sole determinant of cell polarity and complexity. This view has been changed, however, by the discovery of differential subcellular RNA distribution patterns. Over the past decade it has become clear that selective mRNA sorting and translation contributes to an accumulation of cognate proteins at discrete cellular sites. In this book, various systems are discussed (e.g. Xenopus oocytes, mammalian brain, invertebrate nervous system) in terms of RNA trafficking, RNA-targeting sequences (cis-elements) and RNA-transporting proteins (trans-factors), activity-dependent translational regulation and the significance of the cytoskeleton for neuronal function and plasticity. It also discusses nucleocytoplasmic export of mRNA and viral RNA as another example of subcellular RNA kinesis.

Recent studies in human genetics and in silico analyses have revealed that a number of genes are head-head orientated with other genes or non-coding RNAs. The expression of regulatory element-containing 5'-upstream regions of gene pairs are referred to as bi-directional promoters and are thought to have a key role in biological regulatory mechanisms. For example, tumor suppressor protein-encoding TP53 and BRCA1 genes are head-head bound with WRAP53 and NBR2, respectively. DNA-repair factor-encoding ATM and PRKDC (DNA-PKcs) genes have bidirectional partner NPAT and MCM4, respectively. Surveillance of the human DNA database has revealed that the numbers of DNA repair/mitochondrial function/immune response-associated genes are bound with other genes that are transcribed to opposite direction. The observations may encourage us to investigate in the molecular mechanisms how DNA repair/mitochondrial function/immune response-associated genes are regulated by bidirectional promoters. Not only protein-coding genes, but also quite a few ncRNAs, which play important roles in various cellular events, are transcribed under the regulation of the bidirectional promoters. More importantly, we know that dysregulation in the promoter activity and transcription initiation of genes might cause human diseases.

Ubiquitous and fundamental in cell mechanics, multiscale problems can arise in the growth of tumors, embryogenesis, tissue engineering, and more. Cell Mechanics From Single Scale-Based Models to Multiscale Modeling brings together new insight and research on mechanical, mathematical, physical, and biological approaches for simulating the behavior of cells, specifically tumor cells.

In the first part of the text, the book discusses the powerful tool of microrheology for investigating cell mechanical properties, multiphysics and multiscale approaches for studying intracellular mechanisms in cell motility, and the role of subcellular effects involving certain genes for inducing cell motility in cancer. Focusing on models based on physical, mathematical, and computational approaches, the second section develops tools for describing the complex interplay of cell adhesion molecules and the dynamic evolution of the cell cytoskeleton. The third part explores cell interactions with the environment, particularly the role of external mechanical forces and their effects on cell behavior. The final part presents innovative models of multicellular systems for developmental biology, cancer, and embryogenesis.

This book collects novel methods to apply to cells and tissues through a multiscale approach. It presents numerous existing tools while stimulating the discovery of new approaches that can lead to more effective and accurate predictions of pathologies.

The second edition of Adhesion Protein Protocols combines traditional
techniques with cutting-edge and novel techniques that can be adapted
easily to different molecules and cell types. The topics discussed in
this updated second edition include novel techniques for studying
cell-cell adhesion, neutrophil chemotaxis, in vitro assays used to
study leukocyte migration through monolayers of cultured endothelial
cells, and novel techniques to purify pseudopodia from migratory cells.

This book also discusses the study of cell-matrix interaction, RNA
interference, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, actin
purification, the application of microarray techniques, and the role of
adhesion proteins in the study of proteomics.

The protocols discussed in this volume are suitable for both novice and
expert scientists, who will gain further insight into the complex and
incompletely understood processes involved in cellular adhesion.

Etwa 3 Milliarden Genbausteine umfaAt das Erbgut des Menschen, an dessen EntschlA1/4sselung Forscher in aller Welt arbeiten. VerstAndlich und aktuell informiert dieses Buch A1/4ber die wichtigsten Forschungsprojekte und ihre Ergebnisse. Es zeigt, welche Hoffnungen in die medizinische Anwendung der Genforschung sich bislang erfA1/4llt haben, wo Gentests und Gentherapien heute mAglich sind oder wo sie in naher Zukunft entwickelt werden kAnnen. Eine kritische Diskussion gilt der Frage nach der Patentierung von Genen und der mAglichen Diskriminierung von Personen und Volksgruppen durch Gentests. An ausgewAhlten Beispielen wird schlieAlich gezeigt, wie sich mit Hilfe der Gene ein Blick zurA1/4ck in die Evolution tun lAAt. Ein ausfA1/4hrliches Glossar mit der ErklArung wichtiger Fachbegriffe schlieAt das Buch ab.

This book focuses on cartilage defects and new mesenchymal stem cell-based treatments for their repair and regeneration. Early chapters provide a review of current etiological findings and repair methods of cartilage defects. The next chapters discuss fundamental concepts and features of MSCs, including their proliferation, differentiation, migration and immunomodulatory effects. The discussion also includes clinical applications of MSCs in cartilage tissues, especially with regards to various animal models, biomaterials and transferring techniques. Cartilage Regeneration focuses on the biology of MSCs and their possible applications in cartilage reconstruction, with the goal of bringing new insights into regenerative medicine. It will be essential reading for researchers and clinicians in stem cells, regenerative medicine, biomedical engineering and orthopedic surgery.

Wnt genes code for a family of secreted glycoproteins which fulfil important functions during the development of vertebrates and invertebrates. Wnts regulate as different aspects as differentiation, proliferation, cell migration, and cell polarity. Wnt proteins are able to activate different intracellular signaling cascades.
This book describes different aspects of Wnt signaling during development of different species like the mouse, Xenopus, chicken, C. elegans or Drosophila and in different cellular contexts like heart formation or limb bud patterning. By doing such, this book provides, for the first time in printed form, an overview of the function of Wnt proteins during development.
This book will be of interest to all professionals in the field of Wnt signaling, signal transduction or animal development.

"Hydrogenosomes and Mitosomes: Mitochondria of Anaerobic Eukaryotes" provides a summary of the current knowledge of these organelles which occur in unicellular, often parasitic organisms, including human pathogens. These organelles exhibit a variety of structures and functions. This work describes properties such as protein import, structure, metabolism, adaptation, proteome and their role in drug activation and resistance. Further topics include organelle evolution and biogenesis.

Cardiorespiratory function is prominently affected by oxidative stress. Cigarette smoking is the archetype of oxidative and nitrative stress and free radical formation. New adverse effects of smoking keep on propping up in research. The chapters provide the comprehensive view of new developments in this area regarding cardiovascular and lung function and muscle catabolism. Alterations in inflammatory cytokines and proteins as well as degradation of muscle proteins due to smoking, by far unrecognized, caused by oxidative stress also are presented. Much less is known about the effect of cognitive stress on vagally-mediated cardiorespiratory function and surprisingly, on vagal immune pathway. The experimental studies also show that clinically important meconium aspiration syndrome contains an oxidative trait which is amenable to antioxidative treatment. This volume creates a source of information on the damaging role of oxidative stress in cardiorespiratory function that has by far not been available.