This new volume of our successful book series Advances in Anatomy, Embryology and Cell Biology is focused on mitochondrial inheritance in humans and both vertebrate and invertrebate animals including Drosophila, C. elegans, bivalve molusc Mytilus and livestock mammals. Special consideration is given to cellular mechanisms promoting uniparental inheritance of mitochondria and mitochondrial genes, evolutionary perspectives, and biomedical and epidemiological considerations. Contributed by five distinguished mitochondrial research teams from around the world, this volume will target a wide audience of physiologists, anatomists, cell, and developmental and evolutionary biologists, as well as physicians, veterinarians, livestock specialists and biomedical researchers.

Being the crucial components of living cells, ion channels are important targets of therapeutic agents. Historically, it has been challenging to develop drugs on this target class. A major issue with target based ion channel drug development is the identification of effective small chemical leads for medicinal chemistry optimization to the clinical candidate status. Thus enough attention has been paid to the study of structure and functions of ion channels and their potential inhibitors. The present book compiles important chapters authored by eminent workers in the field to cover important recent advances in the studies of the structure and functions of ion channels and their inhibitors, such as sodium ion, potassium ion, chloride ion, calcium ion channel inhibitors. The book may be of great use to the students and scientists working in the area of molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, neurobiology, and medicinal chemistry.

This volume will cover a series of reviews on stem cells including adult and embryonic stem cells. Speakers were invited to present these talks during the Stem Cell Symposia in fall of 2010, in Samsun, Turkey. Unique aspect of this volume is that it brings a multidisciplinary aspect of stem cells extracted from a symposium.

This volume presents selected peer-reviewed papers of the 8th International Conference on Cell & Stem Cell Engineering (ICCM) 2010 in Dublin. The contributions are written by leading scientists in Cell and Stem Cell Engineering and the topics of the papers include: Computational Cell Mechanics Experimental techniques in Cell Mechanics Molecular and Cell Imaging Cell Matrix Interactions Mechanotransduction and cell mechanics Cell sensing Cell processing Artificial cells Stem cell niche Cell Networks

Maia is the story of an idea, and its development into a working hypothesis, that provides a cybernetic interpretation of how growth is controlled. Growth at the lowest level is controlled by regulating the rate of growth. Access to the output of control mechanisms is provided by perturbing the growing organism, and then filtering out the consequences to growth rate. The output of the growth control mechanism is then accessible for interpretation and modelling. Perturbation experiments have been used to provide interpretations of hormesis, the neutralization of inhibitory load and acquired tolerance to toxic inhibition, and catch-up growth. The account begins with an introduction to cybernetics covering the regulation of growth and population increase in animals and man and describes this new approach to access the control of growth processes. This book is suitable for postgraduate students of biological cybernetics and researchers of biological growth, endocrinology, population ecology and toxicology.

Neuroimmunology is one of the most rapidly developing branches of Neurobiology, prompted by novel neurochemical, neuroendocrinological and neurophysiological investigations of the central and peripheral nervous system including neuro-endocrine systems. Neuroimmunology can be considered an interdisciplinary science that covers relevant aspects of how the peripheral immune system can influence brain physiology and elicit neuro-endocrine immuno-regulatory responses and also how local interactions between immune and neuronal mediators of the brain influence the occurrence and course of neuropathologic diseases. That explains the reason why we have in this volume chapters that focus on immune-neuro-endocrine interactions underlying the control and regulation of processes involved in both immune and brain physiology and in the pathogenesis of different nervous diseases. Among such diseases are: schizophrenia, HIV, associated dementia, rheumatoid arthritis, several experimental pathologies, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune encephalomyelitis, Theilers virus infection, nervous system demyelination diseases, the primary degenerative disorders such as Alzheimera (TM)s and Parkinsona (TM)s as well as brain injuries resulting from stroke and trauma, the neuroimmunology of gene therapy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, prion disease and all theoretical questions covering these pathologies. All of the above mentioned involve autoimmune processes.

It is difficult, indeed, to imagine fundamental neurobiological processes, autoimmune, neuroendocrine and infectious diseases, where immune factors are not of prime importance. The elucidation of the intimate molecular-biological problems ofimmunopathologies requires deep knowledge of the intricate connection between immunomodulators, immune competent cells of blood, brain, and other organs.

This volume contains data on multiple immunomodulators, many of which are also the products of hypothalamic brain cell neurosecretion. Interleukins (IL-1a, IL-1A, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, TNFa), immunophylin and ubiquitin as well as proline rich peptides, comprised of 10-15 amino acids are being produced in N. Supraopticus and N. Paraventricularis and then secreted into neurohypophysis. Along the neurosecretion of the mentioned cytokines, there are other immunomodulators, the primary structure of which had been completely deciphered such as: Immunophyllins, intracellular receptors of immunosuppressors FK506, cyclosporine A., rapamicin. They are peptidyl-prolyl-cis-trans-isomerases. There are novel immunological hypothalamic factors such as ubiquitin, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), as well as Thymosin A 4(1-39). This data allowed us to propose the concept of neuroendocrine immune system of the brain.

Neuregulins are EGF-like growth and differentiation factors that interact with tyrosine kinase receptors of the ErbB family. Neuregulin signals are also involved in the development diseases including breast cancer, heart disease and the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. This book reviews the biology of Neuregulins and their receptors and summarizes recent research, which has established crucial functions of this signaling system during development and disease.

Covering a key topic due to growing research into the role of signaling mechanisms in toxicology, this book focuses on practical approaches for informatics, big data, and complex data sets. Combines fundamentals / basics with experimental applications that can help those involved in preclinical drug studies and translational research Includes detailed presentations of study methodology and data collection, analysis, and interpretation Discusses tools like experimental design, sample handling, analytical measurement techniques

One of the most notable trends in biomedical science in recent years has been the increasing use of molecular techniques as part of the diagnosis of disease. As such, there is a growing need for students to understand the technological basis of molecular analysis and to have a comprehensive appreciation of their use in diagnosis. Combining coverage of molecular techniques with their application to diagnostic pathology, this book provides students with a thorough and up to date appreciation of the scope of molecular analysis, the principles of the technology used, and thematic diagnostic application. As part of the Fundamentals of Biomedical Science series, the book provides a unique blend of theory and practice, featuring a range of learning features to help students assimilate the information presented quickly and effectively. It will be relevant to undergraduate students on a wide variety of biomedical pathways, cutting across traditional discipline boundaries to provide a unified overview of molecular diagnostics.

This unique introductory text explains cell functions using the engineering principles of robust devices. Adopting a process-based approach to understanding cell and tissue biology, it describes the molecular and mechanical features that enable the cell to be robust in operating its various components, and explores the ways in which molecular modules respond to environmental signals to execute complex functions. The design and operation of a variety of complex functions are covered, including engineering lipid bilayers to provide fluid boundaries and mechanical controls, adjusting cell shape and forces with dynamic filament networks, and DNA packaging for information retrieval and propagation. Numerous problems, case studies and application examples help readers connect theory with practice, and solutions for instructors and videos of lectures accompany the book online. Assuming only basic mathematical knowledge, this is an invaluable resource for graduate and senior undergraduate students taking single-semester courses in cell mechanics, biophysics and cell biology.

A DAVIS'S NOTES BOOK Cell morphology at your fingertips This pocket-sized atlas delivers concise, yet comprehensive coverage of the morphology of normal and abnormal peripheral blood and bone marrow cells. Organized by disorder, it emphasizes morphological identification. With more than 300 full-color photographs in the popular Davis's Notesr format, it's the perfect reference at the bench, in class, or during clinical rotations -- anytime you need to identify cells. And, its write-on/wipe-off pages let you take notes in any setting. Heme Notes is the ideal companion to Denise M. Harmening's textbook, Clinical Hematology and Fundamentals of Hemostasis, which provides comprehensive coverage of the pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, and laboratory testing and treatment of hematologic disorders.

Vast numbers of different prokaryotic microorganisms shape the biosphere, with diverse metabolic capabilities. Determination of genome sequences for a wide range of bacteria and archaea now requires an in-depth knowledge of prokaryotic metabolic function to give biochemical, physiological and ecological meaning to the genomic information. This new edition describes up-to-date knowledge of the key metabolic processes that occur under different conditions, and the cellular processes that determine prokaryotic roles in the environment, biotechnology and human health. Essential for students of microbiology, applied microbiology, biotechnology, genomics and systems biology, this advanced textbook covers prokaryotic structure, composition, nutrient transport, biosynthesis and growth. Newly characterised metabolic pathways are included, as well as the latest understanding of metabolic regulation and stress responses. Additionally, the link between energetics, growth and survival is discussed as well as the maintenance of genetic integrity by the bacterial immune system.

What every neuroscientist should know about the mathematical modeling of excitable cells. Combining empirical physiology and nonlinear dynamics, this text provides an introduction to the simulation and modeling of dynamic phenomena in cell biology and neuroscience. It introduces mathematical modeling techniques alongside cellular electrophysiology. Topics include membrane transport and diffusion, the biophysics of excitable membranes, the gating of voltage and ligand-gated ion channels, intracellular calcium signalling, and electrical bursting in neurons and other excitable cell types. It introduces mathematical modeling techniques such as ordinary differential equations, phase plane, and bifurcation analysis of single-compartment neuron models. With analytical and computational problem sets, this book is suitable for life sciences majors, in biology to neuroscience, with one year of calculus, as well as graduate students looking for a primer on membrane excitability and calcium signalling.

What every neuroscientist should know about the mathematical modeling of excitable cells. Combining empirical physiology and nonlinear dynamics, this text provides an introduction to the simulation and modeling of dynamic phenomena in cell biology and neuroscience. It introduces mathematical modeling techniques alongside cellular electrophysiology. Topics include membrane transport and diffusion, the biophysics of excitable membranes, the gating of voltage and ligand-gated ion channels, intracellular calcium signalling, and electrical bursting in neurons and other excitable cell types. It introduces mathematical modeling techniques such as ordinary differential equations, phase plane, and bifurcation analysis of single-compartment neuron models. With analytical and computational problem sets, this book is suitable for life sciences majors, in biology to neuroscience, with one year of calculus, as well as graduate students looking for a primer on membrane excitability and calcium signalling.

Biomedical scientists are the foundation of modern healthcare, from cancer screening to diagnosing HIV, from blood transfusion for surgery to food poisoning and infection control. Without biomedical scientists the diagnosis of disease, the evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment, and research into the causes and cures of disease would not be possible. The Fundamentals of Biomedical Science series has been written to reflect the challenges of practicing biomedical science today. It draws together essential basic science with insights into laboratory practice to show how an understanding of the biology of disease is coupled to the analytical approaches that lead to diagnosis. Assuming only a minimum of prior knowledge, the series reviews the full range of disciplines to which a Biomedical Scientist may be exposed-from microbiology to cytopathology to transfusion science. Histopathology describes the processes and practices that are central to the role of the histopathology biomedical scientist, from presampling to diagnosis to laboratory management. It demonstrates throughout how an understanding of cell and tissue physiology is vital to the successful identification of clinical conditions.

Despite extensive research and medical advancements in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dreaded diseases like Diabetes, Cancer, Neurodegenerative and Heart diseases, continue to impose a great threat to human life. Research in human developmental biology has led to the discovery of stem cells which has the potential to cure wide range of dreaded diseases. Stem cells are the unicellular equivalent to the entire animal. In optimum culture milieu they can be differentiated into all cell types of an adult animal. The capability of potency and the relative ease to isolate and expand these cells are invaluable properties for regenerative medicine. Stem cells hold tremendous promise to unravel the key developmental pathways involved in organogenesis and may serve as an essential tissue source for regenerative therapy. Stem cell biology is a fast growing field that is providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms that control developmental processes. At the same time, stem cells may have potential uses in the treatment of devastating diseases such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, musculoskeletal disease, diabetes and cancer. The enormous clinical potential of cardiac regeneration has generated great expectations in both clinicians and patients. Regenerative medicine in the field of skin, cartilage, bone, adipose tissue, and cornea is already well established and is used clinically. Stem cell research harbours potential to have a significant impact on human health. The book will help to increase the awareness vis-a-vis stem cell research in developing countries in particular India. The book pronounces the ways which may help us to extract maximum benefits from state of the art technology. The thrust areas of the proposed book are induced pluripotent stem cells, cord blood stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, livestock stem cells, amniotic fluid stem cells, role of epigenetics in stem cells, tissue engineering, cancer stem cells, bioinformatics strategies for stem cell research, Protocols for iPS generation and so on. These areas have been identified keeping in mind the current and future alighted issues that have a direct impact on the health sector of the world in general.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most widely used drugs for the suppression of inflammation and pain. However, the therapeutic uses of NSAIDs are frequently limited by the significant negative side effects including ulceration, most notably in the gastrointestinal tract. This book examines alternative therapies to healing wounds such as negative pressure wound therapy; and the use of honey and biomaterials. The book also examines the implications of involvement of NSAID-activated gene 1 in ulceration and wound healing.

Axons are nerve fibres that typically conduct electrical impulses away from the neuron's cell body. The function of the axon is to transmit information to different neurons, muscles and glands. In this book, the authors discuss the cell biology, molecular dynamics and role in neural repair and rehabilitation of axons. Topics include the traumatic retraction of living neural processes and their inhibitions; water translocation from the axoplasm into the glioplasm during reactive reorganisation of myelinated nerve fibres; problems and mechanisms in axonal afterdischarges; the putative role of axon cytoskeleton protein in MS repair; microtubules as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases; morphometrical and molecular biological analyses of facial nerves in healthy adults and patients with facial nerve palsy; intrinsic axon growth potential; and sensory axonal guidance by chemorepulsive and chemoattractive cues in higher vertebrates.

The eosinophil is an enigmatic cell with a continuing ability to fascinate. In this book, experts in the field of eosinophil biology comprehensively update our knowledge on the human eosinophil in health and disease. Topics discussed include a synopsis of eosinophil characteristics, properties and role in disease. Important information on how eosinophils release their potent and toxic granule proteins will be covered and how these basic proteins give rise to pathologies including issues such as the function of the nerves.

Apoptosis is the regulated form of cell death. It is a complex process defined by a set of characteristic morphological and biochemical features that involves the active participation of affected cells in a self-destruction cascade. This programmed cell death plays a critical role in physiological functions such as cell deletion during embryonic development, balancing cell number in continuously renewing tissues and immune system development. Additionally, a dysregulation of apoptosis is underlying in numerous pathological situations such as Parkinson, Alzheimer s disease and cancer. A number of studies have pointed out an association between consumption of fruits and vegetables, and certain beverages such as tea and wine, which are rich in polyphenols, with reduced risk of chronic diseases, including cancer. Apoptosis is also the regulatory mechanism involved in the removal of unnecessary cells during development and in tissue homeostasis in a wide range of organisms from insects to mammals. This book focuses on cell apoptotic signalling.

Current techniques for studying biological macromolecules and their interactions are based on the application of physical methods, ranging from classical thermodynamics to more recently developed techniques for the detection and manipulation of single molecules. Reflecting the advances made in biophysics research over the past decade, and now including a new section on medical imaging, this new edition describes the physical methods used in modern biology. All key techniques are covered, including mass spectrometry, hydrodynamics, microscopy and imaging, diffraction and spectroscopy, electron microscopy, molecular dynamics simulations and nuclear magnetic resonance. Each method is explained in detail using examples of real-world applications. Short asides are provided throughout to ensure that explanations are accessible to life scientists, physicists and those with medical backgrounds. The book remains an unparalleled and comprehensive resource for graduate students of biophysics and medical physics in science and medical schools, as well as for research scientists looking for an introduction to techniques from across this interdisciplinary field.

The topic of stem cells has been very high profile in the media in recent years. There is much public interest in stem cells but also much confusion and misinformation, with some companies already offering 'stem cell products' and bogus 'stem cell therapies'. In this Very Short Introduction, Jonathan Slack introduces stem cells; what they are, what scientists do with them, what stem cell therapies are available today, and how they might be used in future. Despite important advances, clinical applications of stem cells are still in their infancy. Most real stem cell therapy today is some form of bone marrow transplantation. Slack introduces stem cells by explaining the difference between embryonic stem cells, which exist only in laboratory cultures, and tissue-specific stem cells, which exist in our bodies. Embryonic stem cells can become any cell type in the body, so diseases that may in future be treated by functional cells derived from these sorts of stem cell include diabetes, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, and spinal trauma. He then goes on to discuss the properties of tissue-specific stem cells and the important technique of bone marrow transplantation. Slack concludes by analysing how medical innovation has occurred in this area in the past, and draws out some of the lessons for the development of new therapies in the future. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Cyclic AMP was a major molecule of interest, which played an important role as second messenger, contributing to signal transduction in the regulation of cellular function by peptide hormones. Afterwards, calmodulin and protein kinase C were discovered as modulator proteins of intracellular calcium signaling in hormonal action. After that, manifold proteins and their related molecules were demonstrated to participate in novel signaling pathways related to various cytokines in different types of cells. The author of this book discovered a novel protein known as regucalcin, which suppresses manifold signaling pathways related to transcription activity. After subsequent studies, regucalcin has been established to play a pivotal role in maintaining cell homeostasis and protecting it from disorders in various types of cells and tissues. This book will provide information regarding regucalcin that plays a pivotal role in cell homeostasis and disorder. This book is composed of eighteen chapters. These chapters include the following content: the discovery of regucalcin (Chapter One); chemical property and structure of regucalcin (Chapter Two); the regucalcin gene and its translational regulation (Chapter Three); the role of regucalcin in intracellular calcium homeostasis (Chapter Four); the role of regucalcin in cell nuclear function (Chapter Five); the role of regucalcin in protein synthesis and proteolysis (Chapter Six); the suppressive role of regucalcin in cell proliferation (Chapter Seven); how regucalcin protects apoptotic cell death (Chapter Eight); the protective role of regucalcin in oxidative stress (Chapter Nine); the involvement of regucalcin in liver metabolic disorder (Chapter Ten); the role of regucalcin in kidney cell homeostasis: involvement in renal failure (Chapter Eleven); the role of regucalcin in heart calcium signaling: insight into cardiac disorder (Chapter Twelve); the role of regucalcin in brain calcium homeostasis: disorder with aging (Chapter Thirteen); the role of regucalcin in bone homeostasis and osteoporosis (Chapter Fourteen); the role of regucalcin in lipid metabolism and diabetes (Chapter Fifteen); the role of regucalcin as a suppressor protein in carcinogenesis (Chapter Sixteen); the clinical aspects of regucalcin as a biomarker for disease (Chapter Seventeen); and conclusive remarks (Chapter Eighteen). This book will provide information regarding regucalcin and its pivotal role in cell homeostasis and disorder.

Ribosome is an important cellular organelle that is necessary for the basic cellular process, protein synthesis. Furthermore, ribosomal protein is a group of proteins that is important in biomedical research. The authors of this book present and review important data on ribosomal proteins, important in tropical diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. In addition, some functions of ribosomal proteins, other than translation, are called extraribosomal function or extraribosomal activity. In this book, the extraribosomal functions of ribosomal protein S19 (RPS19) is discussed in detail. Other chapters in this book examine the structures of the free and bound forms of proteins that have experimentally been found to be essential for the first steps of ribosome assembly. A summary of ribosomal protein mutations generated in eukaryotes is also provided and their proposed roles in the control of cell growth and proliferation, as well as their impact in human diseases. Important challenges we face in explaining life from the genome and proteome viewpoint is also discussed, including how to measure a living protein/RNA/DNA, how to restore the missing relation cross generations and how to correlate structure with function. Finally, the authors suggest possible solutions for such challenges.

Apoptosis is the regulated form of cell death. It is a complex process defined by a set of characteristic morphological and biochemical features that involves the active participation of affected cells in a self-destruction cascade. This programmed cell death plays a critical role in physiological functions such as cell deletion during embryonic development, balancing cell number in continuously renewing tissues and immune system development. Additionally, a dysregulation of apoptosis is underlying in numerous pathological situations such as Parkinson, Alzheimer's disease and cancer. A number of studies have pointed out an association between consumption of fruits and vegetables, and certain beverages such as tea and wine, which are rich in polyphenols, with reduced risk of chronic diseases, including cancer. Apoptosis is also the regulatory mechanism involved in the removal of unnecessary cells during development and in tissue homeostasis in a wide range of organisms from insects to mammals. The aim of this book is to provide untouched studies in this new and exciting field.