This book provides a series of comprehensive views on various important aspects of vertebrate photoreceptors. The vertebrate retina is a tissue that provides unique experimental advantages to neuroscientists. Photoreceptor neurons are abundant in this tissue and they are readily identifiable and easily isolated. These features make them an outstanding model for studying neuronal mechanisms of signal transduction, adaptation, synaptic transmission, development, differentiation, diseases and regeneration. Thanks to recent advances in genetic analysis, it also is possible to link biochemical and physiological investigations to understand the molecular mechanisms of vertebrate photoreceptors within a functioning retina in a living animal.

Photoreceptors are the most deeply studied sensory receptor cells, but readers will find that many important questions remain. We still do not know how photoreceptors, visual pigments and their signaling pathways evolved, how they were generated and how they are maintained. This book will make clear what is known and what is not known. The chapters are selected from fields of studies that have contributed to a broad understanding of the birth, development, structure, function and death of photoreceptor neurons. The underlying common word in all of the chapters that is used to describe these mechanisms is molecule . Only with this word can we understand how these highly specific neurons function and survive. It is challenging for even the foremost researchers to cover all aspects of the subject. Understanding photoreceptors from several different points of view that share a molecular perspective will provide readers with a useful interdisciplinary perspective. "

The second part of an updated edition of the classic "Methods in Cell Biology, "Volume 48, this book emphasizes diverse methods and technologies needed to investigate "C. elegans," both as an integrated organism and as a model system for research inquiries in cell, developmental, and molecular biology, as well as in genetics and pharmacology. By directing its audience to tried-and-true and cutting-edge recipes for research, this comprehensive collection is intended to guide investigators of "C. elegans" for years to come.
Diverse, up-to-date techniques covered will be useful to the broadening community of "C. elegans" researchers for years to comeChapters written by leaders in the fieldTried and true methods deliver busy researchers a one-stop compendium of essential protocols

This book describes various aspects of modern microbiology including microbial enzymes, secondary metabolites, next-generation sequencing, microbial-based biopesticides, microbial-based cancer therapies, biodiesel, and microbial products from fermentation, biodegradation, bioremediation and wastewater treatment. Further, it explains how and why microbes play an important role in preserving the welfare of living beings and the environment. Many bacteria play a significant part in cleaning our environment by detoxifying various xenobiotic compounds, while several microbes produce secondary metabolites that are useful to human beings. The book is divided into 15 chapters that cover various aspects of microorganism-based biotechnology, including recent methodologies such as advanced molecular techniques, as well developments in classical microbiological techniques. The authors also explain how the latest and classical techniques are being used in modern-day microbial biotechnology. All chapters were written by experts from prominent universities, research laboratories, and institutes around the globe. Above all, they focus on recent advances in microbial technology that promote the welfare of living beings and the environment.

The present book intends to provide an update on immunosenescence and how deficiencies in the immune system contribute to a higher susceptibility to infections, decline in organ function, reduced vaccination responses, age-related disease and the ageing process itself, negatively affecting longevity. Our focus is on the main changes in immune system cells and their products occurring during the ageing process and the possible consequences for health and disease. This includes: discussion of the modulatory and/or suppressive mechanisms associated with the alterations in T regulatory cells, B regulatory cells and Myeloid Derived Suppressor cells; changes in the immune system observed in chronic neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, lung disease and frailty will also be discussed. Most importantly we provide recent literature information about possible interventions (focusing on physical activity) that could alleviate the negative effects of immunosenescence. The Ageing Immune System and Health is a comprehensive guide on the field intended to all physicians, researchers, professors and students interested on relationship between immune system, ageing and health.

This authoritative book gathers together a broad range of ideas and topics that define the field. It provides clear, concise, and comprehensive coverage of all aspects of cellular physiology from fundamental concepts to more advanced topics. The 4e contains substantial new material. Most chapters have been thoroughly reworked. The book includes chapters on important topics such as sensory transduction, the physiology of protozoa and bacteria, and synaptic transmission.
Authored by leading researchers in the field Clear, concise, and comprehensive coverage of all aspects of cellular physiology, from fundamental concepts to more advanced topics Full color illustrations

In this second edition methods are described to measure the synthesis of lipids such as the phosphoinositides, ceramides and sphingomyelin, as well as techniques to molecularly characterize the various kinases and phosphatases that regulate the intracellular metabolism of these lipids. Lipid Signaling Protocols, Second Edition guides readers through detailed experimental protocols, which are complimented by review chapters that highlight the technical considerations, challenges and potential pitfalls associated with using these laboratory-based approaches. Written for the Methods in Molecular Biology series, 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. Authoritative and practical, Lipid Signaling Protocols, Second Edition aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

JAK tyrosine kinases and STAT transcription factors constitute a signaling pathway, which is activated by cytokines. By activating gene transcription it regulates essential biological responses to environmental cues. The Jak-Stat pathway is involved in the regulation of cell development, differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. Improper function may contribute to hematopoietic malignancies and cancer. This book provides comprehensive insights into the latest basic and clinical developments in the field. The first part reviews recent findings and new technologies pertaining to basics of Jak-Stat function. The second part describes the evolution of Jak-Stat signaling and the role of the pathway in invertebrate organisms. The third part focuses on Jak-Stat signaling in hematopoietic cells under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Finally, chapters in the fourth section describe the relationship of Jak-Stat signaling to various states of disease, particularly infection, leukemias and solid cancers. The book is intended for all scientists in molecular biology, biochemistry and cell biology dealing with biomedical issues.

First published in 1943, "Vitamins and Hormones" is the longest-running serial published by Academic Press. The Editorial Board now reflects expertise in the field of hormone action, vitamin action, X-ray crystal structure, physiology and enzyme mechanisms.

Under the capable and qualified editorial leadership of Dr. Gerald Litwack, "Vitamins and Hormones" continues to publish cutting-edge reviews of interest to endocrinologists, biochemists, nutritionists, pharmacologists, cell biologists and molecular biologists. Others interested in the structure and function of biologically active molecules like hormones and vitamins will, as always, turn to this series for comprehensive reviews by leading contributors to this and related disciplines.

This volume focuses on stem cell regulators.
Longest running series published by Academic Press Contributions by leading international authorities

This volume examines the role of oxidative stress in the pathology of numerous pediatric disorders. It covers a wide range of topics including the chemistry and biology of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide, molecular biology of the enzymes generating these species, clinically useful biomarkers for evaluating oxidative stress status in humans, and the pathophysiology, clinical course and management of a variety of pediatric disorders, among others. The book also describes current diagnostic tools, laboratory methods and technology for treatment and prevention of pediatric disorders. It explores emerging technology and medical applications including discussions of biomarkers and antioxidants as therapeutic agents. Written by an international team of experts in both pediatrics and free radical and antioxidant research, Studies on Pediatric Disorders is an invaluable addition to the Oxidative Stress in Applied Basic Research and Clinical Practice series.

This book describes medical applications of photochemistry. In the first part, a general introduction to photochemistry and related phototechnologies is provided. In the second part, photochemistry-based medical applications for diagnostics (biochips and bioimaging) and therapeutics (biomaterials for artificial organs, medical adhesives, dental materials, drug-delivery systems, tissue engineering, and photodynamic therapy) are described, with examples of recent research. The year 2015 is the International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies. Light plays a vital role in our daily lives and is important in many interdisciplinary scientific fields in the twenty-first century. Light-based concepts have revolutionized medicine, including areas such as oncology, molecular biology, and surgery. Although photochemistry has contributed significantly to medicine directly and through photochemical fabrication of biomaterials, a book giving a comprehensive overview of recent progress has not been published until now. The aim of this book is to highlight the contributions of photochemistry in interdisciplinary fields of chemistry and medical engineering. This book will be useful for chemists who are interested in medical applications of photochemistry and engineers who are eager to learn the principles of photochemistry to enable its use in practical applications.

Written by leading researchers, this text explores the intersection of genetics and metabolomics, and points the way to more comprehensive studies of inborn variation of metabolism. All chapters refer to one or more published experimental datasets.

This book focuses on the conventional breeding approach, and on the latest high-throughput genomics tools and genetic engineering / biotechnological interventions used to improve rice quality. It is the first book to exclusively focus on rice as a major food crop and the application of genomics and genetic engineering approaches to achieve enhanced rice quality in terms of tolerance to various abiotic stresses, resistance to biotic stresses, herbicide resistance, nutritional value, photosynthetic performance, nitrogen use efficiency, and grain yield. The range of topics is quite broad and exhaustive, making the book an essential reference guide for researchers and scientists around the globe who are working in the field of rice genomics and biotechnology. In addition, it provides a road map for rice quality improvement that plant breeders and agriculturists can actively consult to achieve better crop production.

This volume has been assembled for scientists interested in basic and applied biomedical research directed toward understanding the development, genetics and function of cardiomyocytes. The methods and protocols contained within it address cell culture techniques, cardiomyocyte differentiation and redifferentiation, experimental induction of cardiomyopathies, introducing genes into cardiomyocytes, genomic approaches to the understanding cardiomyocytes, cryopreservation of neonatal cardiomyocytes and modeling of cardiomyocyte function. 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. Practical and current, Cardiomyocytes: Methods and Protocols explores complimentary areas of cardiomyocyte science that, taken together, can inform individuals with a broad range of interests.

The present volume continues the trend established in previous volumes in this series on Advances in Structural Biology. As in the past, diverse topics of current importance relevant to the theme of the series are included in the fourth volume.

In this volume expert researchers in the field detail the many methods for further research into regulation of mitochondrial function. Chapters focus on mitochondria with other cellular components, discussing how these interactions influence the dynamics of mitochondrial structure and biogenesis. 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 key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Mitochondrial Regulation: Methods and Protocols seeks to aid advanced undergraduates, graduates, postgraduates, and beginning researchers in the areas of molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and bioenergetics.

This volume of Current Topics in Membranes focuses on Membrane Fusion, beginning with fusion and fission of lipid bilayers, with reviews focused on hemifusion and dynamic remodeling of membranes catalyzed by dynamin. Other topics discussed include viral fusion, intracellular fusion, developmental cell fusion, and theoretical modeling.

This second edition details some of the recent trends in HCS/HCA/HCI. New and updated chapters guide readers through methods that utilize reagents and kits that have been developed to measure cells and subpopulation classifications, control measures, overviews of the data handling issues associated with HCS/HCA/HCI, and methods to implement more complex phenotypic models. 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. Authoritative and practical, High Content Screening and Analysis-The Ideal Format for Phenotypic Screening: A Powerful Approach to Systems Cell Biology and Drug Discovery, Second Edition aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

Cell death is an essential process in development, and a major contributor to a wide range of human diseases. Three major classifications of cell death, apoptosis, autophagic cell death and necrosis, have been described for years, and the existence of many more forms of cell death is now accepted. In, Necrosis: Methods and Protocols experts in the field provide a wide range of methods and techniques for the study of necrosis in vitro and in vivo. These include methods and techniques for the analysis of necrosis in mammalian cells, characterization of alternative forms of cell death: entosis and pyroptosis, and analysis of cell death in non-mammalian model sytems and mammalian tissues, including chapters on skin, brain, and heart. 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 key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Necrosis: Methods and Protocols describes techniques in an easy to follow manner, with details so that beginners can succeed with challenging techniques.

This volume of "Current Topics in Membranes" focuses on adrenergic receptor biology, beginning with a review of past successes and historical perspectives then further discussing current general trends in adrenic receptor studies in various contexts. This publication also includes discussions of the role and relationship of adrenergic receptors to different systems and diseases, establishing adrenergic receptor biology as a needed, practical reference for researchers.

The volumes in this authoritative series present a multidisciplinary approach to modeling and simulation of flows in the cardiovascular and ventilatory systems, especially multiscale modeling and coupled simulations. The cardiovascular and respiratory systems are tightly coupled, as their primary function is to supply oxygen to and remove carbon dioxide from the body's cells. Because physiological conduits have deformable and reactive walls, macroscopic flow behavior and prediction must be coupled to nano- and microscopic events in a corrector scheme of regulated mechanisms when the vessel lumen caliber varies markedly. Therefore, investigation of flows of blood and air in physiological conduits requires an understanding of the biology, chemistry, and physics of these systems together with the mathematical tools to describe their functioning.
Volume 3 is devoted to the set of mediators of the cell surface, especially ion and molecular carriers and catalytic receptors that, once liganded and activated, initiate signal transduction pathways. Intracellular cascades of chemical reactions trigger the release of substances stored in cellular organelles and/or gene transcription and protein synthesis. Primary mediators are included in models of regulated cellular processes, but multiple secondary signaling components are discarded to allow simple, representative modeling and to manage their inverse problems.

The series Topics in Current Chemistry Collections presents critical reviews from the journal Topics in Current Chemistry organized in topical volumes. The scope of coverage is all areas of chemical science including the interfaces with related disciplines such as biology, medicine and materials science. The goal of each thematic volume is to give the non-specialist reader, whether in academia or industry, a comprehensive insight into an area where new research is emerging which is of interest to a larger scientific audience. Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field.

Focusing on new methods and techniques developed to address longstanding questions about the Golgi complex, this volume explores a diverse set of chapters, ranging from live and fixed cell imaging techniques to in vitro biochemical reconstitution systems. Each chapter provides a detailed set of specific instructions, which should enable anyone to successfully complete the assays. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series program, chapters include brief introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips from the experts on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Practical and detailed, The Golgi Complex: Methods and Protocols will aid both new and established researchers in the field by providing strong hands-on instructions that can be directly applied to their research programs.

The cyanobacteria are a fascinating group of bacteria that have adapted to colonize almost every environment on the planet. They are the only prokaryotes capable of oxygenic photosynthesis, responsible for up to 20-30% of Earth's photosynthetic productivity. They can attune their light-harvesting systems to changes in available light conditions, fix nitrogen, and have circadian rhythms. In addition, many cyanobacteria species exhibit gliding mobility and can differentiate into specialized cell types called heterocysts, and some are symbiotic. Thanks to their simple nutritional requirements, their metabolic plasticity, and the powerful genetics of some model strains, cyanobacteria could be exploited for use as microbial cell factories for carbon capture and storage, and for the sustainable production of secondary metabolites and biofuels. Understanding their cell biology is an essential step to achieving this. In this book, leading senior scientists and young researchers review the current key topics in cyanobacterial cell biology to provide a timely overview. Topics covered include: historical background * cell division * the cell envelope * the thylakoid membrane * protein targeting, transport, and translocation * chromatic acclimation * the carboxysome * glycogen as a dynamic storage of photosynthetically fixed carbon * cyanophycin * gas vesicles * motility in unicellular and filamentous cyanobacteria * cellular differentiation in filamentous cyanobacteria * cell-cell joining proteins in heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria. This cutting-edge text will provide a valuable resource for all those working in this field and is recommended for all microbiology libraries.

This volume focuses on mitophagy providing methods and protocols on the methodologies and the background information on monitoring mitophagy. Chapters detail the analysis of mitophagy in connection with Parkinson's disease, especially young onset Parkinson's disease impaired by PINK/parkin pathway, Drosophila, yeast, and Caenorhabditis elegans models. 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. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Mitophagy: Methods and Protocols aims to stimulate and encourage researchers to carry out ongoing and new investigations into mitophagy.

This book presents some of the most advanced experimental systems in which the role of forces has been dissected. It explores the physical principles accounting for how forces can affect soft matter such as our cells, and presents some of the methods used to measure or assess the role of forces.

Presents some of the most advanced experimental systems in which the role of forces has been dissected.
It explores the physical principles accounting for how forces can affect soft matter such as our cells, and presents some of the methods used to measure or assess the role of forces.
Appeals to both physicists eager to get familiar with biological systems, and to biologists curious about the physical principles behind what they observe.