Knowledge of the juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA) of the kidney and of the synthesis and secretion of renin has increased to such an extent over the past few years that it is now appropriate to summarize this knowledge in a monograph on the JGA, the first of its kind. It was the authors' special concern to demonstrate the association between structure and function for renin secretion, not only within the juxtaglomerular region, but also in the region of the renal cortex beyond the JGA. The description of the pathology of the human JGA, studded with references to experimental findings but nevertheless fully self-contained, should help to make this monograph also useful for clinicians.

Contents: R.L. Moss, G.M. Diffee, M.L. Greaser: Contractile Properties of Skeletal Muscle Fibers in Relation to Myofibrillar Protein Isoforms.- J.E. Wilson: Hexokinases.- J. Rassow, N. Pfanner: Molecular Chaperones and Intracellular Protein Translocation.- H. Fuder, E. Muscholl: Heteroreceptor-Mediated Modulation of Noradrenaline and Acetylcholine Release from Peripheral Nerves.

In this regular issue of Reviews of Physiology the first contribution by Warth and Bleich is on K+ Channels and Colonic Function, the second by Offermanns on Mammalian G-Protein Function in vivo: New Insights Through Altered Expression, and the third contribution by Tenenholz et al. (including one editor of the series) on Structural Determinants of Scorpion Toxin Affinity: The Charybdotoxin (alpha-KTX) Family of K+-channel Blocking Peptides.

Since the epochal discovery of the radical and highly toxic gas nitric oxide (NO) as a signaling molecule, two other no less toxic gases - carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) - have been found to also be involved in a plethora of physiological and pathophysiological functions. The gases termed gasotransmitters play an increasingly important role in understanding how signalling into and between cells is modulated and fine-tuned. The advent of gasotransmitters has profoundly changed our way of thinking about biosynthesis, liberation, storage and action mechanisms in cellular signaling. In recent years an impressive amount of new data, distributed throughout the existing literature, has been generated. For this book the editors have recruited distinguished colleagues in the field to summarize and review important biological, pharmacological and medical functions and their implications, as well as methods for the detection of gasotransmitters.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the brain has an important role in the control and integration of the responses to injury and infection. This is the first volume to look in depth at the way the brain responds to trauma and subsequently integrates and influences behavioral, metabolic, neurohumoral, cardiovascular, and immune functions. It is well established that some of these responses, such as fever and neuroendocrine changes are directly influenced by the central nervous system. These, and other more recent advances, provide new insights into this area and provide a basis for more effective understanding and clinical management of trauma patients. The authors, all international authorities in their fields, discuss established and recent data from experimental and clinical studies and consider the implications of these findings for the treatment of the trauma patient. This book will serve as an excellent reference for professionals who deal with trauma or who work in accident and emergency medicine, neuroscience, neuroimmunology and physiology.

This collection of reviews will be of considerable interests to biologists and MDs working on any aspect of cardiovascular function. With state-of-the-art reviews written by competent experts in the field, the content is also of interest for MSc and PhD students in most fields of cardiovascular physiology.

To celebrate the Center for Perinatal Biology s 40th Anniversary, an illustrious group gathered at Loma Linda University in February 2013. That gathering of experts and this volume of the proceedings are a tribute to the founder of the Center, Lawrence D. Longo, M.D. These chapters present contributions from individuals who in some way or another were influenced by Dr. Longo. Covering a wide range of topics, and illustrating the diversity of thinking and scientific interests, these proceedings address basic science through to clinical problems in the developmental programming of health and disease. "

This is the first comprehensive volume to be published on the subject of electrical trauma in humans. Many of the world's leading experts describe the basic mechanisms of tissue injury in victims of electrical trauma, the complex and varied manifestations of electrical trauma, and state-of-the-art clinical treatment protocols. Promising new therapies still in the research stage are also discussed and assessed. The volume describes the basic physiochemical mechanisms responsible for tissue damage and explains the complex and variable ways in which electrical trauma manifests itself. An understanding of these underlying processes provides the basis for a rational and consistent approach to treatment which is highlighted in this volume. Electrical Trauma serves as a new and important source of information from a variety of perspectives that contributes to the understanding of the electrical injury problem. It is suitable for clinicians in plastic surgery, intensive care and burn units and for those with an academic and research interest in the mechanisms and causes of electrical trauma.

Originally published in 1992, this volume looks in detail at the important relationship, initially studied in 1871 by Bowditch, between the strength of the heartbeat and the interval between beats. The book draws together the work and experience of leading international research workers in this field. Collectively, the contributors illuminated the underlying mechanisms involved, their expression in both isolated muscle and the intact heart, and speculate on further avenues of research. The volume will be of interest to cardiologists, physiologists and all those concerned with the function of the heart.

The development and selection of ovarian follicles is one of the most active areas of contemporary reproductive research. Relevant experimental work extends from laboratory rodents, across a wide range of domestic species, to human clinical studies, especially as related to problems of fertility and in vitro fertilisation. This 2003 volume provides comprehensive coverage of the field, integrating research findings from animal and human studies and condensing the vast published literature into a meaningful and digestible physiological account which highlights the key role played by the oocyte in influencing all stages of follicular development.

This volume presents key topics of current interest with regard to several pathophysiological conditions including (a) the basic and clinical aspects of bradykinin receptor antagonists, (b) the kallikrein-kinin pathways in hypertension and diabetes, (c) tissue kallikrein-kinin therapy for hypertension and organ damage, (d) the renal (tissue) kallikrein-kinin system in the kidney and novel potential drugs for salt-sensitive hypertension, (e) the kallikrein-kinin system in diabetes retinopathy and (f) genetic manipulation and genetic variation of the kallikrein-kinin system and their impacts on cardiovascular and renal disease. Written by internationally reputed scientists, the book provides an essential overview of the latest developments in the field of kinin research, making it a valuable asset for endocrinologists, nephrologists, cardiologists, pharmacologists, physiologists, ophthalmologists and rheumatologists. Furthermore, it is also intended for postgraduate students in the fields of medicine, pharmacy, physiology and pharmacology and those working at research organizations.

Cardiac ion channels and mechanisms for protection against atrial fibrillation. Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. Quantifying and modeling the temperature-dependent gating of TRP channels.

Angiogenesis is a multi-stage process that drives the generation of new blood and lymphatic vessels from pre-existing ones. It is highly active during embryogenesis, largely inactive during adulthood but reactivated during wound healing and under a number of pathological conditions including cancer and ocular diseases. In addition to endothelial cells, which line the walls of the vessels, several other cell types (pericytes, macrophages, progenitor cells ) also contribute to angiogenesis. A number of signaling pathways are activated and very finely tune the delicate morphogenetic events that ultimately lead to the formation of stable blood proof neovessels.

This book reviews recent advances in our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of angiogenesis, with a focus on how to integrate these observations into the context of developmental, post-natal and pathological neovascularization.

The book was published under the auspices of the French Angiogenesis Society. Most contributors are prominent members of this Society or international researchers who have actively contributed to the Annual Meetings of the Society."

Gastrointestinal (GI) physiology is a fundamental subject that is indispensable not only for undergraduate but also for graduate courses. The audience include, but are not limited to, medical, pharmacy, nursing, human biology, Chinese medicine, and science students, as well as other health-related subject students.The overall objectives of this textbook are to present basic concepts and principles of GI physiology and, more importantly, to convey an understanding of how to apply this knowledge to abnormal GI physiology in the clinical context. As such, the basic knowledge of GI physiology and its application in the form of clinical case studies should be grasped, which are critical for professional examinations and bedside, as well as for general practice in the future. In this handbook, we aim to achieve these elements by covering the breadth of GI, pancreatic, hepatobiliary, and nutritional physiology. Moreover, we include relevant scenario-based clinical case in each chapter so as to evaluate whether the students can apply the basic GI they learn to the clinical setting."

In the series Reviews of Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology three excellent contributions by Ruth Heidelberger (Houston, TX, USA) with Electrophysiological Approaches to the Study of Neuronal Exocytosis and Synaptic Vesicle Dynamics and Kay Truscott et al. (Freiburg, Germany) with Transport of Proteins Into Mitochondria and Randall K. Powers and Marc D. Binder (Seattle, WA, USA) with Input-Output Functions of Mammalian Motoneurons form another outstanding volume.

Research centering on blood flow in the heart continues to hold an important position, especially since a better understanding of the subject may help reduce the incidence of coronary arterial disease and heart attacks. This book summarizes recent advances in the field; it is the product of fruitful cooperation among international scientists who met in Japan in May, 1990 to discuss the regulation of coronary blood flow.

In this second special issue on signal transduction leading specialists in their fields again present overviews of topics related to the highly topicalsubject of signal transduction. The first contribution, by Keppler, deals with the biosynthesis, transport, inactivation, and analysis of leukotrienes. Mohr et al. present an excellent overview of the biology of the peptide hormone oxytocin and its role in signal transduction.The review by Holzer describes the significance of peptinergic sensory neurons in the control of vascular functions. In the contribution by Wolf etal the molecular biology of the Y chromosome is discussed.

This book approaches the classification, pathogenesis, diagnostic, therapy and surgery for kidney tuberculosis as well as male genital tuberculosis. The reader will find recent data on epidemiology, many interesting history cases with illustrations and new methods for the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.