This book covers structure, function, and important roles of the SH domains, structure-function relationships, the versatile nature of their action, mechanisms of aggregation, specificity of interactions, impact of mutations on protein functional dysregulation, and cell signaling. Their involvement in various cellular processes such as migration, invasiveness, actin reorganization, shaping spines, determination of the morphology assembly of fibrils, and mechanotransduction makes these molecules attractive drug targets. Substrates, inhibitors and activators of PTKs present a wide variety of therapeutic agents in the context of delivering treatments for numerous pathologies. The new emerging field of stem cell therapies and design of biomaterials for treatments relies on the directed regulation of stem cell growth, differentiation and morphology, as well as the production of biomimetic scaffolds that respond to programmed signals. Advances in deciphering the mechanisms of action of these important molecules will lead to the implementation and success of their vital applications.

Exto-ATPase: Characterization and Localization. Ecto-ATPases of the Nervous System; A.K. Nagy. Evidence for Ectonucleotidases in the Guinea-Pig Cochlea: In Vivo and in Vitro Biochemical Studies; S.M. Vlajkovic, et al. Ecto-ATPase: Purification and Sequencing. Purification, Characterization, and Molecular Cloning of the Chicken Gizzard Smooth Muscle Ecto-ATPase; T.L. Kirley, J.G. Stout. A Strategy for Monoclonal Antibody Production to Ecto-ATPases; R.S. Strobel, M.D. Rosenberg. Ecto-ATPases: Function and Pathology. Immunochemical Expression of Ecto-ATP-Diphosphohydrolase in Experimental and Clinical Disease; W.W. Bakker, et al. Control of Platelet Reactivity by an cto-ADPase on Human Edonthelial Cells; A.J. Marcus, et al. Interrelationship of Ecto-ATPase and Purinoceptor Function. P2 Nucleotide Receptor Structure and Function; G.A. Weisman, et al. Ectonucleotidases and Purinoceptors in the Cochlea and Their Putative Role in Hearing; P.R. Thorne, et al. Other Relevant Cell Surface Proteins. Ubiquitous Expression of the beta-Subunit of H+-Transporting ATP Synthase on the Surface of Tumor Cells: Possible Roles in Tumorigenesis and Immune Surveillance; B. Das, et al. 26 Additional Articles. Index.

Cell surface small molecules and macromolecules, such as members of cholesterol family (including steroid hormones), the glycolipid family (sphingolipids), the glycoprotein family (both N-linked and O-linked), and a vast array of other receptors have been shown to be involved in normal and abnormal cellular processes. The 11th International Symposium on Cell Surface Macromolecules, held in Mohali, India, in February 2017 provided a comprehensive update on the major advances in this area. Presenting selected contributions from this meeting, this book comprises 24 chapters, which provide in-depth analyses of data on the role of cell surface macromolecules in cellular function and their alterations associated with pathological conditions. It includes comprehensive research papers and critical overviews of the functional role of cell surface molecules, discussing topics such as biochemical, biophysical, and cell biological approaches to study cell membrane molecules, and metabolism of glycoconjugates.

This volume is the result of an explosion of molecular-based research on Cilia, which began with the discovery of the universality of intraflagellar transport (IFT) and ciliary genomics/proteomics. The chapters in this book cover topics such as: high resolution imaging and functional characterization of sensory and primary cilia in mammalian cells and zebrafish, methods to study ciliary-mediated chemoresponse in Paramecium, and methods to study centrosomes and cilia in C. elegans and Drosophila. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introduction to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Practical and cutting-edge, Cilia: Methods and Protocols is broad and covers motile, sensory, and primary cells. It is a valuable resource to anyone interested in entering the field of ciliary biology using model organisms, including flagellate algae, ciliates, planaria, nematodes, insects, zebrafish, and mammalian cells.

Intracellular Lipid Distribution, Transport and Sorting: A Cellbiologist's Need for Physicochemical Information; G. Van Meer, I.L. Van Genderen Biophysical Characterization of Membrane and Cytoskeletal Proteins by Sedimentation Analysis; M.B. Morris, G.B. Ralston Monomolecular Layers in the Study of Biomembranes; R.A. Demel Differential Scanning and Dynamic Calorimetric Studies of Cooperative Phase Transitions in Phospholipid Bilayer Membranes; Q. Ye, R.L. Biltonen Ektacytometry of Red Cells; R.M. Johnson Spin Label ESR Study of Molecular Dynamics of Lipid/Protein Association in Membranes; L.I. Horvath NMR Methods for Measuring Membrane Transport; P.W. Kuchel, et al. Determination of Soluble and Membrane Protein Structure by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy; E. Goormaghtigh, et al. Xray Diffraction on Biomembranes with Emphasis on Lipid Moiety; P. Laggner 2 additional articles. Index.

This book discusses cancers and the resurgence of public interest in plant-based and herbal drugs. It also describes ways of obtaining anti-cancer drugs from plants and improving their production using biotechnological techniques. It presents methods such as cell culture, shoot and root culture, hairy root culture, purification of plant raw materials, genetic engineering, optimization of culture conditions as well as metabolic engineering with examples of successes like taxol, shikonin, ingenol mebutate and podophylotoxin. In addition, it describes the applications and limitations of large-scale production of anti-cancer compounds using biotechnological means. Lastly, it discusses future economical and eco-friendly strategies for obtaining anti-cancer compounds using biotechnology.

Anaerobiosis and Stemness: An evolutionary paradigm provides a context for understanding the many complexities and evolutionary features of stem cells and the clinical implications of anaerobiosis stem cells. Combining theoretical and experimental knowledge, the authors provide a broad understanding of how the absence or low concentration of oxygen can play an influential role in the maintenance and self-renewal of stem cells and stem cell differentiation. This understanding has clinical implications for the fields of regenerative medicine, cancer biology and transplantation, as well as cell engineering and cell therapy. Anaerobiosis and Stemness is an important resource for stem cell and developmental biologists alike, as well as oncologists, cancer biologists, and researchers using stem cells for regeneration.

This volume brings together the skills and protocols of numerous laboratories that are at the heart of investigation into the biology of Tfh cells in both mice and humans. As a volume in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Concise and easy-to-use, T follicular Helper Cells: Methods and Protocols provides scientist with techniques and protocols that have facilitated breakthroughs in Tfh biology and to present them in a way that will enable both new and experienced researchers to continue to move this exciting field forward.

This two-volume set takes an in-depth look at stress signaling in plants from a uniquely genomic and proteomic perspective and offers a comprehensive treatise that covers all of the signaling pathways and mechanisms that have been researched so far. Currently, plant diseases, extreme weather caused by climate change, drought and an increase in metals in soil are amongst the major limiting factors of crop production worldwide. They devastate not only the food supply but also the economy of a nation. With global food scarcity in mind, there is an urgent need to develop crop plants with increased stress tolerance so as to meet the global food demands and to preserve the quality of our planet. In order to do this, it is necessary to understand how plants react and adapt to stress from the genomic and proteomic perspective. Plants adapt to stress conditions by activating cascades of molecular mechanisms, which result in alterations in gene expression and synthesis of protective proteins. From the perception of the stimulus to the transduction of the signal, followed by an appropriate cellular response, the plants employ a complex network of primary and secondary messenger molecules. Cells exercise a large number of noticeably distinct signaling pathways to regulate their activity. In order to contend with different environmental adversities, plants have developed a series of mechanisms at the physiological, cellular and molecular levels that respond to stress. Each chapter in this volume provides an in-depth explanation of what we currently know of a particular aspect of stress signaling and where we are heading. Together with the highly successful first volume, Stress Signaling in Plants: Genomics and Proteomics Perspective, Volume 2 covers an important aspect of plant biology for both students and seasoned researchers.

Understanding the dynamics of cell and tissue motion forms an essential step in understanding the dynamics of life and biological self-organization. Biological motion is one of the most obvious expressions of self-organization, as it requires autonomous creation and regulated action of forces leading to shape formation and translocation of cells and tissues. The topics of the book include intracellular motility and cytoplasma dynamics (e.g. cell division), single cell movement in varying extracellular media (e.g. chemotaxis or contact guidance), cell aggregation and cooperative motion (e.g. cellular swarms or slugs) and, finally, cell-cell interactions in developing tissues (e.g. embryogenesis or plant movement). The dynamics underlying biological motion are explained, on the one hand, by various methods of image processing and correlation analysis, and on the other hand by using physico-chemical theories, developing corresponding mathematical models and performing continuum field or stochastic simulations. Thus, the study is of an interdisciplinary character typically found in theoretical and mathematical biology. Its presentation is intended to reach a broad audience a " from theoretically interested bioscientists, physicians and biophysicists to applied mathematicians interested in the application of nonlinear dynamical systems and simulation algorithms. The most important feature of the book is that it considers possible synergetic mechanisms of interaction and cooperation on different microscopic levels: on the molecular level of cytoskeletal polymers, membrane proteins and extracellular matrix filaments, as well as on the level of cells and cellular tissues. New results concern the aspects of filament or cell alignment, various modes of force transduction and the formation of global stress fields. The latter aspect of mechanical cell-cell communication is emphasized in order to complement the much more well-studied phenomena of chemical, genetical or electrophysical communication.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes are at the forefront of research in two of the most high profile and funded scientific areas - cardiovascular research and stem cells. Mesenchymal Stem Cell Derived Exosomes provides insight into the biofunction and molecular mechanisms, practical tools for research, and a look toward the clinical applications of this exciting phenomenon which is emerging as an effective diagnostic. Primarily focused on the cardiovascular applications where there have been the greatest advancements toward the clinic, this is the first compendium for clinical and biomedical researchers who are interested in integrating MSC-derived exosomes as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool.

Sox2: Biology and Role in Development and Disease offers a thorough discussion of the important role of Sox2 in cellular and developmental processes, aimed at facilitating greater understanding of how Sox2 functions across different disciplines. The book discusses the basic biology of Sox2 to help establish the critical foundational knowledge necessary for deeper molecular and functional analysis. The book also provides insight into how the Sox2 transcription factor plays a key role in pluripotency induction, maintenance, and development. Helpful as a tool to organize new research projects, the book assists with preparing lessons, seminars, and thesis or research papers, thereby circumventing the need to spend hours searching through journal databases. A single source for the basic biology of Sox2, Sox2: Biology and Its Role in Development and Disease provides information on networks, gene regulation, and regulatory function in a number of cell types and tissues types.

This book describes modern biophysical techniques that enable us to understand and examine dynamic processes of infection at the molecular level. Cutting-edge research articles, laboratory protocols, case studies and up-to-date reviews cover topics such as single-molecule observation of DNA replication repair pathways in E. coli; evolution of drug resistance in bacteria; restriction enzymes as barriers to horizontal gene transfer in Staphylococcus aureus; infectious and bacterial pathogen biofilms; killing infectious pathogens through DNA damage; bacterial surfaces in host-pathogen interactions; bacterial gene regulation by riboswitches; transcription regulation in enterobacterial pathogens; the bacterial flagellar motor; initial surface colonization by bacteria; Salmonella Typhi host restrictions; as well as monitoring proton motive force in bacteria; microbial pathogens using digital holography; mathematical modelling of microbial pathogen motility; neutron reflectivity in studying bacterial membranes; force spectroscopy in studying infection and 4D multi-photon imaging to investigate immune responses. The focus is on the development and application of complex techniques and protocols at the interface of life sciences and physics, which increase the physiological relevance of biophysical investigations.

This book shares the latest research and practice-oriented findings in medical sciences with a wide audience. It addresses a range of contemporary issues, often unresolved or contentious, across various medical fields, including advances in the management of hemorrhagic brain stroke. It also discusses metastatic renal cell carcinoma - a global scourge with an extremely poor long-term survival prognosis, the course and sequelae of renal cell carcinoma, as well as advances in targeted molecular therapy with sunitinib, a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Further, it examines the molecular targeting of proliferative signaling of the epidermal growth factor receptor in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer. Other articles cover clearance of toxins in hemodialyzed patients; the search for diagnostic and therapeutic markers in the connective tissue disease scleroderma; obesity linked to inappropriate dietary habit; clinical problems related to the diagnosis of sensitization to fungi and its role in asthma; and reasons for the perilous trend of avoiding basic vaccinations in children. Lastly, the book explores the rapid developments in e-health technologies that increase access to health services, particularly for the elderly. The book is intended for clinical specialists, researchers, and all allied health professionals from various fields.

Soil salinity is a key abiotic-stress and poses serious threats to crop yields and quality of produce. Owing to the underlying complexity, conventional breeding programs have met with limited success. Even genetic engineering approaches, via transferring/overexpressing a single 'direct action gene' per event did not yield optimal results. Nevertheless, the biotechnological advents in last decade coupled with the availability of genomic sequences of major crops and model plants have opened new vistas for understanding salinity-responses and improving salinity tolerance in important glycophytic crops. Our goal is to summarize these findings for those who wish to understand and target the molecular mechanisms for producing salt-tolerant and high-yielding crops. Through this 2-volume book series, we critically assess the potential venues for imparting salt stress tolerance to major crops in the post-genomic era. Accordingly, perspectives on improving crop salinity tolerance by targeting the sensory, ion-transport and signaling mechanisms are presented here in volume 1. Volume 2 will focus on the potency of post-genomic era tools that include RNAi, genomic intervention, genome editing and systems biology approaches for producing salt tolerant crops.

Much research has focused on the basic cellular and molecular biological aspects of stem cells. Much of this research has been fueled by their potential for use in regenerative medicine applications, which has in turn spurred growing numbers of translational and clinical studies. However, more work is needed if the potential is to be realized for improvement of the lives and well-being of patients with numerous diseases and conditions. With a goal to accelerate advances by timely information exchange, this new book series 'Cell Biology and Translational Medicine (CBTMED)' as part of SpringerNature's longstanding and very successful Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series is launched. Emerging areas of regenerative medicine and translational aspects of stem cells will be covered in each volume. Outstanding researchers are recruited to highlight developments and remaining challenges in both the basic research and clinical arenas. This current book is the first volume of a continuing series.

This volume provides insight into the pivotal roles of stem cells, exosomes and other microvesicles in biofunction and molecular mechanisms and their therapeutic potential in translational nanomedicine. It further highlights evidence from recent studies as to how stem cell derived exosomes and microRNAs may restore and maintain tissue homeostasis, enable cells to recover critical cellular functions and begin repair regeneration. These early studies in animal models of aging also show evidence of improved immune, cardiovascular and cognitive functions as well as improved health span and life span. The use of exosomes from body fluids to define specific biomarkers for various tumors may also clear the path to patient-targeted treatments by developing exosome-derived microRNA based cancer therapeutics. It is essential reading for graduate students, research fellow and biomedical researchers in academia or the pharmaceutical or biotech industries.

This invaluable resource discusses insights ranging from basic biological mechanisms of various types of stem cells through the potential applications in the treatment of human diseases, including cancer and genetic disorders. These discoveries are placed within the structural context of tissue and developmental biology in sections dealing with recent advances in understanding different types of stem cell biology and their potential applications in tissue repair and regeneration and in the treatment different types of human cancer and genetic diseases or disorders. Stem Cells for Cancer and Genetic Disease Treatment and the other books in the Stem Cells in Clinical Applicationsseries will be invaluable to scientists, researchers, advanced students and clinicians working in stem cells, regenerative medicine or tissue engineering as well as cancer or genetics research.

This is the second volume in a series on membrane protein transfer. Membrane protein transport underlies the topological disposition of many proteins within cells and it is this disposition that allows for the co-ordination of the central cellular processes, such as metabolism.

With a focus on food safety, this book highlights the importance of microbes in sustainable agriculture. Plants, sessile organisms that are considered as primary producers in the ecosystem and communicate with above- and below-ground communities that consist of microbes, insects, and other vertebrate and invertebrate animals, are subjected to various kinds of stress. Broadly speaking, these can be subdivided into abiotic and biotic stresses. Plants have evolved to develop elaborate mechanisms for coping with and adapting to the environmental stresses. Among other stresses, habitat-imposed biotic stress is one serious condition causing major problems for crop productivity. Most plants employ plant-growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) to combat and protect themselves from stresses and also for better growth. PGPMs are bacteria associated with plant roots and they augment plant productivity and immunity. They are also defined as root-colonizing bacteria that have beneficial effects on plant growth and development. Remarkably, PGPMs including mycorrhizae, rhizobia, and rhizobacteria (Acinetobacter, Agrobacterium, Arthrobacter, Azospirillum, Bacillus, Bradyrhizobium, Frankia, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Serratia, Thiobacillus) form associations with plant roots and can promote plant growth by increasing plants' access to soil minerals and protecting them against pathogens. To combat the pathogens causing different diseases and other biotic stresses, PGPMs produce a higher level of resistance in addition to plants' indigenous immune systems in the form of induced systemic resistance (ISR). The ISR elicited by PGPMs has suppressed plant diseases caused by a range of pathogens in both the greenhouse and field. As such, the role of these microbes can no longer be ignored for sustainable agriculture. Today, PGPMs are also utilized in the form of bio-fertilizers to increase plant productivity. However, the use of PGPMs requires a precise understanding of the interactions between plants and microbes, between microbes and microbiota, and how biotic factors influence these relationships. Consequently, continued research is needed to develop new approaches to boost the efficiency of PGPMs and to understand the ecological, genetic and biochemical relationships in their habitat. The book focuses on recent research concerning interactions between PGPMs and plants under biotic stress. It addresses key concerns such as - 1. The response of benign microbes that benefit plants under biotic stress 2. The physiological changes incurred in plants under harsh conditions 3. The role of microbial determinants in promoting plant growth under biotic stress The book focuses on a range of aspects related to PGPMs such as their mode of action, priming of plant defence and plant growth in disease challenged crops, multifunctional bio-fertilizers, PGPM-mediated disease suppression, and the effect of PGPMs on secondary metabolites etc. The book will be a valuable asset to researchers and professionals working in the area of microbial-mediated support of plants under biotic stress.

This book presents regenerative strategies for the treatment of knee joint disabilities. The book is composed of four main sections totaling 19 chapters which review the current knowledge on the clinical management and preclinical regenerative strategies. It examines the role of different natural-based biomaterials as scaffolds and implants for addressing different tissue lesions in the knee joint. Section one provides an updated and comprehensive discussion on articular cartilage tissue regeneration. Section two focuses on the important contributions for bone and osteochondral tissue engineering. Section three overview the recent advances on meniscus repair/regeneration strategies. Finally, section four further discusses the current strategies for treatment of ligament lesions. Each chapter is prepared by world know expert on their fields, so we do firmly believe that the proposed book will be a reference in the area of biomaterials for regenerative medicine.

This volume discusses methods for the study of multipotent and pluripotent stem cells of the hair follicle. The stem cells described are involved in both the growth of the hair follicle and its production of the hair shaft, as well as the growth of the hair follicle sensory nerve. Multipotent Stem Cells of the Hair Follicle: Methods and Protocols also explores very unexpected results such as that of the hair follicle-associated-pluripotent (HAP) stem cells, which not only have the capability for regenerating the hair follicle sensory nerve, but also can differentiate ex vivo and in vivo to multiple cell types not associated with the hair follicle-these include glial cells, motor neurons, and beating cardiac muscle cells. The potential for HAP stem cells for regenerative medicine is also discussed in detail. Written in the highly successful Methods in 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 tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and thorough, Multipotent Stem Cells of the Hair Follicle: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers interested in this field.

The rapid expansion of the area of free radical biology in the last 25 years has occurred within a framework of assumptions and preconceived notions that has at times directed the course of this movement. The most dominant of these notions has been the view that free radical production is without exception a bad thing, and that the more efficient our elimination of these toxic substances, the better off we will be. The very important observation by Bernard Babior and colleagues in 1973 that activated phagocytes produce superoxide in order to kill micro organisms, served to illustrate that constructive roles are possible for free radicals. For many in the field, however, this merely underscored the deadly nature of oxygen-derived radicals, both from the microbe's point of view and from the host's as well. (Phagocyte-produced superoxide is responsible in part for the tissue injury manifested as inflammation. See Harris and Granger, Chapter 5, and Leff, Hybertson and Repine, Chapter 6.)
Mother Nature, however, has a penchant for being able to make a silk purse from a sow's ear. If one is dealt a bad hand, one must simply make the best of it. After two decades of focusing on the destructive side of free radicals, the last few years have begun to reveal a new and finer perspective on free radical metabolism - a role in regulation of cellular function (see Schulze-Osthoff and Baeuerle, Chapter 2). Evidence from a number of sources suggests that an increase in the oxidative status of cell encourages that cell to grow and divide. Increasing the expression of mangnese superoxide dismutase can suppress the malignant phenotype of melanon cells (see Oberley and Oberley, Chapter 3). Oxidative stress beyond a certain poitosis (from the Greek, literally "to fall apart"). Is this suicide response an evolutionary fail-safe device to curtail tumorogenesis? Does oxidative stress-induced apoptosis account for the loss of immune cells in AIDS (see Flores and McCor Chapter 4)?
This volume attempts to present the spectrum of roles, both good and bad played by active oxygen species as understood at this point in the evolution of this field of free radical biology.

This volume presents comprehensive laboratory protocols that have been used to generate Th9 cells, both in vitro and in vivo. The techniques described in Th9 Cells: Methods and Protocols study the role of Th9 cells in different inflammatory disease models, including allergic inflammation model, parasite model, tumor model, and EAE and IBD model. Written in the highly successful Methods in 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 tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Thorough and comprehensive, Th9 Cells: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for scientists in this field and will provide them with techniques to generate Th9 cells for specific downstream events.