How stem cells behave is very much a factor of their local microenvironment, also known as the stem cell niche. Physical, chemical, or electrical signals from the neighboring cells or biochemical signals from distant cells are crucial in the cell fate decision process. A major challenge of tissue engineering is to mimic the natural cell environment by designing very sophisticated scaffolds able not only to mechanically support cells, but also to release signals biologically relevant for governing stem cell fate. In addition, increasing evidence suggests that abnormal interaction of stem cells with their niche is responsible for altered cell function leading to malignant transformation. This book discusses some of the recent advances in stem cell research that may help understanding the properties of the niche that govern stem cell fate. Technical topics discussed include: Stem cell biology Cancer stem cells Stem cell interactions with biomaterials Engineering the stem cell microenvironment Stem cells in tissue regeneration and repair The Disputationes Workshop series is an international initiative aimed at disseminating stem cell related cutting edge knowledge among scientists, healthcare workers, students and policy makers. This book emerges as a result of the scientific contributions presented and discussed during the fifth Disputationes Workshop held in Aalborg (Denmark) in April 2014. The stem cell microenvironment and its role in regenerative medicine and cancer pathogenesis is ideal for academic staff and master/research students in biomedical and health sciences

The scope of the book is to highlight the diverse roles of cilia in human development and disease. Almost all cell types form cilia and although they were first detected about 200 years ago, their significance was unclear. In the past ten years, it has become obvious that cilia have got sensory functions, as well as roles in motility and their mis-formation or the deregulation of the signaling pathways they control has been associated with defective development and human disease. Although research has concentrated on the role of the cilium in each organ, no effort has been made so far to bring all this information together and relate it to the various human diseases. This book aims to gather all the expertise that has been acquired on primary cilia and translate it into a medical and research context that will be of interest to postgraduate students, researchers, medics and scientists.

The global warming problem is becoming critical year by year, causing climate disaster all over the world, where it has been believed that the CO2 gas emitted from the factories and the burning of fossil fuels may be one of the reasons of global warming. Moreover, the global stock of fossil fuels is limited, and may run out soon within several tens of years. Although wind, geo-thermal, and tide energies have been considered as clean energy sources, those depend on the land or sea locations and subject to the climate change. Biofuel and biochemical production from renewable bio-resources has thus been paid recent attention from environmental protection and energy production points of view, where the current chemical and energy producing plants can be also utilized with slight modification. The so-called 1st generation biofuels have been produced from corn starch and sugarcane in particular in USA and Brazil. However, this causes the problem of the so-called "food and energy issues" as the production scale increases. The 2nd generation biofuel production from lingo-cellulosic biomass or wastes has thus been paid recent attention. However, it requires energy intensive pretreatment for the degradation of lingo-cellulosic biomass, and the fermentation is slow due to low growth rate, and thus the productivity of biofuels and bio-chemicals is low. The 3rd generation biofuel production from photosynthetic organisms such as cyanobacteria and algae has been also paid attention, because such organisms can grow with only sun light and CO2 in the air, but the cell growth rate and thus the productivity of the fuels is significantly low. The main part or core of such production processes is the fermentation by micro-organisms. In particular, it is critical to properly understand the cell metabolism followed by the efficient metabolic engineering. The book gives comprehensive explanation of the cell metabolism and the metabolic regulation mechanisms of a variety of micro-organisms. Then the efficient metabolic engineering approaches are explained to properly design the microbial cell factories for the efficient cell growth and biofuel and biochemical production.

This book delineates how systems biology, pharmacogenomic, and behavioral approaches, as applied to neurodevelopmental toxicology, provide a structure to arrange information in a biological model. The text reviews and discusses approaches that can be used as effective tools to dissect mechanisms underlying pharmacological and toxicological phenomena associated with the exposure to drugs or environmental toxicants during development. The book intends to elaborate functional outcomes of component-to-component relationships using rodent and nonhuman primate in vitro and in vivo models that allow for the directional and quantitative description of the complete organism in response to environmental perturbations. In addition, attention has also been directed to some of the more recent methodologies, including genomics, proteomics and metabolomics, applied in the evolutionary neurobiological field.

Many of our current agricultural crops are natural or agricultural hybrids (between two or more species), or polyploids (containing more than one genome or set of chromosomes). These include potato, oats, cotton, oilseed rape, wheat, strawberries, kiwifruit, banana, seedless watermelon, triticale and many others. Polyploidy and hybridization can also be used for crop improvement: for example, to introgress disease resistance from wild species into crops, to produce seedless fruits for human consumption, or even to create entirely new crop types. Some crop genera have hundreds of years of interspecific hybridization and ploidy manipulation behind them, while in other genera use of these evolutionary processes for crop improvement is still at the theoretical stage. This book brings together stories and examples by expert researchers and breeders working in diverse crop genera, and details how polyploidy and hybridization processes have shaped our current crops, how these processes have been utilized for crop improvement in the past, and how polyploidy and interspecific hybridization can be used for crop improvement in the future.

Molecular Cell Biology of the Growth and Differentiation of Plant Cells encompasses cell division, cell enlargement and differentiation; which is the cellular basis of plant growth and development. Understanding these developmental processes is fundamental for improving plant growth and the production of special plant products, as well as contributing to biological understanding. The dynamics of cells and cellular organelles are considered in the context of growth and differentiation, made possible particularly by advances in molecular genetics and the visualization of organelles using molecular probes. There is now a much clearer understanding of these basic plant processes of cell division, cell enlargement and differentiation. Each chapter provides a current and conceptual view in the context of the cell cycle (6 chapters), cell enlargement (5 chapters) or cell differentiation (9 chapters). The book provides state of the art knowledge (and open questions) set out in a framework that provides a long term reference point. The book is targeted at plant cell biologists, molecular biologists, plant physiologists and biochemists, developmental biologists and those interested in plant growth and development. The book is suitable for those already in the field, plant scientists entering the field and graduate students.

All hollow organs, such as blood vessels, the gastrointestinal tract, airways, male and female reproductive systems, and the urinary bladder are primarily composed of smooth muscle. Such organs regulate flow, propulsion and mixing of luminal contents and storage by the contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle cells. Smooth muscle cells respond to numerous inputs, including pressure, shear stress, intrinsic and extrinsic innervation, hormones and other circulating molecules, as well as autocrine and paracrine factors. This book is a review of smooth muscle cell regulation in the cardiovascular, reproductive, GI, and other organ systems with emphasis on calcium and receptor signaling. Key selling features: Focuses on smooth muscles of different types Describes ion channel signaling mechanisms Reviews calcium and receptor signaling Includes novel, cutting-edge methodologies Summarizes studies of mice with genetically encoding sensors in smooth muscle Chapter 9 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a CC-BY 4.0 license. https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/tandfbis/rt-files/docs/Open+Access+Chapters/9781498774222_oachapter9.pdf

Intervertebral disc degeneration is one of the major causes of lower back pain for which the common therapeutic interventions are not efficient. A search for alternative therapies for lower back pain and intervertebral disc degeneration includes cell-based therapies. Unfortunately, intervertebral disc degeneration is avascular and thus a hostile environment for cell survival. Furthermore, cellular characterization in intervertebral disc degeneration, and particularly in the nucleus pulposus, is controversial, mainly due to lack of specific markers and species variability. This book adds to the knowledge on cellular and molecular therapies for intervertebral disc degeneration and associated lower back pain. Key Selling Features: Describes the ontogeny and phenotype of intervertebral disc cells Reviews the role that inflammation plays in disco-genic pain Highlights the types of cells that might be used as sources for treating degenerating intervertebral discs Summarizes current alternative therapies Explores methods for cell delivery into degenerated intervertebral discs

Microbial Cell Factories is a conceptual, reference-based source including chapters covering microbial cell factories for industrial developments, microbial biotechnology, sustainable environmental solutions, agriculture practices, microorganisms in food processing, metabolites as next generation food additives/food processing, and microbial cell factories in alternative energy fuel generation. The book highlights trends and developments in the field of microbial products, written by an international team of leading academic and research scholars. Key Selling Features: Highlights trends and developments in microbial biotechnology Systematically reviews microbial cell factories Explores the potential of microbial cell derived industrial production Synthesizes information on environmental and agricultural uses of microbial biotechnology Contributions from an international team of leading scholars

Autophagy and Signaling is an up-to-date overview of the many signaling pathways regulating autophagy in response to different cellular needs. Discussion includes the status and future directions of autophagy signaling research with respect to different aspects of health and disease. These include the roles of autophagy in regulating cell fate, immune response and host defense, nutrient sensing and metabolism, neural functions and homeostasis. The mechanisms and significance of cross-talk between autophagy and other cellular processes is also explored. Lastly, alterations in autophagy observed in aging and age-related pathologies are described.

There is a documented link between fetal nutrition and the development of disease risk in adult life. Including the early postnatal period, during which a newborn continues to grow rapidly influenced by environmental factors, suggests that individuals are subject to risks for more than just the fetal period. Fetal and Early Postnatal Programming and its Influence on Adult Health focuses on interrelated aspects of cellular programming related to early nutrition and this potential global health problem.

Calcium Entry Channels in Non-Excitable Cells focuses on methods of investigating the structure and function of non-voltage gated calcium channels. Each chapter presents important discoveries in calcium entry pathways, specifically dealing with the molecular identification of store-operated calcium channels which were reviewed by earlier volumes in the Methods in Signal Transduction series. Crystallographic and pharmacological approaches to the study of calcium channels of epithelial cells are also discussed. Calcium ion is a messenger in most cell types. Whereas voltage gated calcium channels have been studied extensively, the non-voltage gated calcium entry channel genes have only been identified relatively recently. The book will fill this important niche.

T cells play a vital role mediating adaptive immunity, a specific acquired resistance to an infectious agent produced by the introduction of an antigen. There are a variety of T cell types with different functions. They are called T cells, because they are derived from the thymus gland. This volume discusses how T cells are regulated through the operation of signaling mechanisms. Topics covered include positive and negative selection, early events in T cell receptor engagement, and various T cell subsets.

Adenoviruses are double stranded DNA viruses that have been used to study the process of DNA replication. Studies of the mode of action of adenovirally produced tumors in rodents led to the discovery of tumour supressor genes. The adenoviral vector is now the most used vector in clinical gene therapy especially for some kinds of cancers. The chapters in this book focus on the most up-to-date developments in the therapeutic applications of adenoviruses. The intended audience is individuals in the Life Sciences interested in therapeutic applications of adenoviruses. This book reviews the life history and immune responses to adenoviruses and summarizes various therapies implemented with the use of adenoviruses.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. This book examines conserved pathways mediating cell cycle progression and cell polarity establishment. It includes examples of yeast, regulatory circuits, and feedback regulation, with emphasis on system-wide approaches. It also covers protein interaction networks and trait locus analysis and presents methods and challenges in comparative genomics analysis and evolutionary genetics.

With contributions from a broad range of experts in the field, this volume, Microbiology for Sustainable Agriculture, Soil Health, and Environmental Protection, focuses on important areas of microbiology related to soil and environmental microbiology associated with agricultural importance. The information and research on soil and environmental microbiology presented here seeks to act as a gateway to sustaining and improving agriculture and environmental security. Part I focuses on soil microbiology, dealing extensively with studies on the isolation, culture, and use of Rhizobium spp. and mycorrhizae to improve soil fertility, plant growth, and yield. This includes research progress on biogeochemical cycles, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), microbial interactions in soil and other soil activities, microbial diversity in soil, biological control and bioremediation, and improvement of beneficial microorganisms (N2 fixers, phosphate solubilizers, etc.). Part 2 goes on to focus on microbiology for crop disease management and pathogenic control in sustainable environment, with chapters on disease management of agricultural and horticultural crop plants through microbial control and how microbial control may a be a potential solution for a sustainability in agriculture. Part 3, Microbiology for Soil Health and Crop Productivity Improvement, features a chapter on the activity and mechanism of nitrogenase enzyme in soil, which is very important for soil health and crop production and productivity. Part 4 presents two chapters entirely devoted to the environmental pollution and its control, looking at the interaction of microbes in aqueous environments and eco-friendly approaches. There is an urgent need to explore and investigate the current shortcomings and challenges of the current innovations and challenges in agricultural microbiology. This book helps to fill that need. This volume will be valuable to those involved with agricultural microbiology, including students, instructors, and researchers.

Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency is a worldwide, public health problem in both developed and developing countries. Rickets among infants has reemerged. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased risk and mortality from cancer. At the same time, the beneficial effects of vitamin D on a host of conditions have recently been discovered. Focusing on areas not extensively covered in other comparable books, Vitamin D: Oxidative Stress, Immunity, and Aging highlights the most recent research findings on the impact of this nutrient in oxidative stress, immunity, and aging. A state-of-the-art compilation of essential information, this book explores: Vitamin D and its genomic and nongenomic effects, the role of therapeutic analogs in treating disease, and the production of vitamin D by the body The role vitamin D plays in modulating oxidative stress-with emphasis on cancer, stress-mediated diseases, photo-protection of the skin, and energy metabolism Beneficial effects of vitamin D in regulating the immune response and its importance in protecting against autoimmune, infectious, and inflammatory diseases The role vitamin D plays in the regulation of the aging process-including aspects of oxidative stress, senescence, and mortality, as well as its role in protection against cardiovascular disease and nervous system disorders This book represents an important contribution toward understanding the mechanisms by which vitamin D promotes health, increasing awareness of the importance that vitamin D plays during development, at birth, and throughout the aging process. It is a valuable reference for researchers in academia, nutrition, medicine, and industry.

Dendrimers, hyperbranched macromolecules, emerged just few decades ago but show promising potential as drug delivery nanocarriers, theranostic agents and gene vectors; in the pharmaceutical research and innovation area as well as in other healthcare applications. Although tremendous advancements have been made in dendrimer chemistry and their applications since their emergence, the synthesis, development and design of pure and safe dendrimer-based products have been a major challenge in this area. This book, edited by well-known researchers in the area of nanomaterials and drug-based drug delivery applications, exhaustively covers the nanotechnological aspects, concepts, properties, characterisation, application, biofate and regulatory aspects of dendrimers. It includes sixteen vivid chapters by renowned formulators, researchers and academicians from all over the world, highlighting their specialised areas of interest in the fields of chemistry, biology, pharmacy and nanomedicine. Features: * Highlights dendrimers' advancements in nanomedicine in the development of safe healthcare and biotechnological products * Covers physicochemical aspects, biofate, drug delivery aspects and gene therapy using dendrimers * Covers biomedical application of dendrimers in the field of biological sciences * Gives examples of dendrimer-guest interaction chemistry Dendrimers in Nanomedicine: Concept, Theory and Regulatory Perspectives provides the comprehensive overview of the latest research efforts in designing, optimising, development and scale-up of dendrimer-mediated delivery systems. It analyses the key challenges of synthesis, design, molecular modelling, fundamental concepts, drug delivery aspects, analytical tools and biological fate as well as regulatory consideration to the practical use of dendrimer application. Dr. Neelesh Kumar Mehra Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics in the Department of Pharmaceutics at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India. He has authored more than sixty peer-reviewed publications in highly reputed international journals, as well as book chapters and contributions on two patents. Dr. Mehra has 11 years of rich research and teaching experience in the formulation and development of complex, innovative biopharmaceutical products including micro- and nanotechnologies for regulated markets. Dr. Keerti Jain Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics in the Department of Pharmaceutics, NIPER, Raebareli, India. For more than 10 years, she has been actively engaged in formulation and development of nanomedicines. Dr. Jain has supervised masters and doctoral pharmaceutics students in their research works which have been published in high quality, good impact factor journals. She has also authored more than 60 international manuscripts in peer reviewed high impact journals. In 2019, she was awarded the prestigious ICMR-Amir Shakuntala Award.

The importance of molecular approaches for comparative biology and the rapid development of new molecular tools is unprecedented. The extraordinary molecular progress belies the need for understanding the development and basic biology of whole organisms. Vigorous international efforts to train the next-generation of experimental biologists must combine both levels - next generation molecular approaches and traditional organismal biology. This book provides cutting-edge chapters regarding the growing list of marine model organisms. Access to and practical advice on these model organisms have become a conditio sine qua non for a modern education of advanced undergraduate students, graduate students and postdocs working on marine model systems. Model organisms are not only tools they are also bridges between fields - from behavior, development and physiology to functional genomics. Key Features Offers deep insights into cutting-edge model system science Provides in-depth overviews of all prominent marine model organisms Illustrates challenging experimental approaches to model system research Serves as a reference book also for next-generation functional genomics applications Fills an urgent need for students Related Titles Jarret, R. L. & K. McCluskey, eds. The Biological Resources of Model Organisms (ISBN 978-1-1382-9461-5) Kim, S.-K. Healthcare Using Marine Organisms (ISBN 978-1-1382-9538-4) Mudher, A. & T. Newman, eds. Drosophila: A Toolbox for the Study of Neurodegenerative Disease (ISBN 978-0-4154-1185-1) Green, S. L. The Laboratory Xenopus sp. (ISBN 978-1-4200-9109-0)

Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 10 The cytoskeleton is a dynamic filamentous structure composed of at least actin and microtubule networks. Actin and microtubules are no different structurally from their animal and fungal counterparts. However, the strategies of cell differentiation and development in plants require this network to respond appropriately to plant-specific developmental cues and to environmental factors. This book views the cytoskeleton from different perspectives but, on the whole, as a network composed of structural and regulatory proteins controlled by internal and external stimuli that result in different aspects of cell differentiation. This is a volume for researchers and professionals in plant biochemistry, cell biology and genetics.

Atlas of Terrestrial Mammal Limbs is the first comprehensive and detailed anatomy book on a broad phylogenetic and ecological range of mammals. This extraordinary new work features more than 400 photographs and illustrations visualizing the limb musculature of 28 different species. Standardized views of the dissected bodies and concise text descriptions make it easy to compare the anatomy across different taxa. It provides tables of nomenclature and comparative muscle maps (schematic drawings on the origins and insertions of the muscles onto bones) in a diversity of animals. Atlas of Terrestrial Mammal Limbs is a reliable reference and an indispensable volume for all students and professional researchers in biology, paleontology, and veterinary medicine. Key Features: Provides an overview of the anatomy of the mammalian limb Includes osteological correlates of the limb muscles Illustrates anatomy in 2D Guides dissection Documents anatomical diversity in mammalian limbs Related Titles: D. L. France. Human and Nonhuman Bone Identification: A Color Atlas. (ISBN 978-1-4200-6286-1) S. N. Byers. Forensic Anthropology Laboratory Manual, 4th Edition (ISBN 978-1-1386-9073-8) S. N. Byers. Introduction to Forensic Anthropology, 5th Edition (ISBN 978-1-1381-8884-6) R. Diogo, et al. Muscles of Chordates: Development, Homologies, and Evolution (ISBN 978-1-1385-7116-7)

Miniaturization in the fields of chemistry and molecular biology has resulted in the "lab-on-a-chip." Such systems are micro-fabricated devices capable of handling extremely small fluid volumes facilitating the scaling of single or multiple lab processes down to a microchip-sized format. The convergence of lab-on-a-chip technology with the field of cell biology facilitated the development of "organ-on-a-chip" systems. Such systems simulate the function of tissues and organs, having the potential to bypass some cell and animal testing methods. These technologies have generated high interest as applications for disease modeling and drug discovery. This book, edited by Drs. Sean Murphy and Anthony Atala, provides a comprehensive coverage of the technologies that have been used to develop organ-on-a-chip systems. Known leaders cover the basics to the most relevant and novel topics in the field, including micro-fabrication, 3D bio-printing, 3D cell culture techniques, biosensor design and microelectronics, micro-fluidics, data collection, and predictive analysis. The book describes specific tissue types amenable for disease modeling and drug discovery applications. Lung, liver, heart, skin and kidney "on-a-chip" technologies are included as well as a progress report on designing an entire "body-on-a-chip" system. Additionally, the book covers applications of various systems for modeling tissue-specific cancers, metastasis, and tumor microenvironments; and provides an overview of current and potential applications of these systems to disease modeling, toxicity testing, and individualized medicine.

Advances in Applied Microbiology, Volume 122 continues the comprehensive reach of this widely read and authoritative review source in microbiology. Users will find invaluable references and information on a variety of areas relating to the topic of microbiology. This release includes updates on BioMateriOME: to understand microbe-material interactions within sustainable, living architectures.

How can we understand the complexity of genes, RNAs, and proteins and the associated regulatory networks? One approach is to look for recurring types of dynamical behavior. Mathematical models prove to be useful, especially models coming from theories of biochemical reactions such as ordinary differential equation models. Clever, careful experiments test these models and their basis in specific theories. This textbook aims to provide advanced students with the tools and insights needed to carry out studies of signal transduction drawing on modeling, theory, and experimentation. Early chapters summarize the basic building blocks of signaling systems: binding/dissociation, synthesis/destruction, and activation/inactivation. Subsequent chapters introduce various basic circuit devices: amplifiers, stabilizers, pulse generators, switches, stochastic spike generators, and oscillators. All chapters consistently use approaches and concepts from chemical kinetics and nonlinear dynamics, including rate-balance analysis, phase plane analysis, nullclines, linear stability analysis, stable nodes, saddles, unstable nodes, stable and unstable spirals, and bifurcations. This textbook seeks to provide quantitatively inclined biologists and biologically inclined physicists with the tools and insights needed to apply modeling and theory to interesting biological processes. Key Features: * Full-color illustration program with diagrams to help illuminate the concepts * Enables the reader to apply modeling and theory to the biological processes * Further Reading for each chapter * High-quality figures available for instructors to download

Among the offspring of humans and other animals are occasional individuals that are malformed in whole or in part. The most grossly abnormal of these have been referred to from ancient times as monsters, because their birth was thought to foretell doom; the less severely affected are usually known as anomalies. This volume digs deeply into the cellular and molecular processes of embryonic development that go awry in such exceptional situations. It focuses on the physical mechanisms of how genes instruct cells to build anatomy, as well as the underlying forces of evolution that shaped these mechanisms over eons of geologic time. The narrative is framed in a historical perspective that should help students trying to make sense of these complex subjects. Each chapter is written in the style of a Sherlock Holmes story, starting with the clues and ending with a solution to the mystery.