Current biological research demands the extensive use of sophisticated mathematical methods and computer-aided analysis of experiments and data. This highly interdisciplinary volume focuses on structural, dynamical and functional aspects of cellular systems and presents corresponding experiments and mathematical models. The book may serve as an introduction for biologists, mathematicians and physicists to key questions in cellular systems which can be studied with mathematical models. Recent model approaches are presented with applications in cellular metabolism, intra- and intercellular signaling, cellular mechanics, network dynamics and pattern formation. In addition, applied issues such as tumor cell growth, dynamics of the immune system and biotechnology are included.

This volume explores pericytes' roles under distinct pathological conditions, ranging from tumors, ALS, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, stroke, diabetes, atherosclerosis, muscular dystrophies and more. Together with its companion volumes Pericyte Biology in Different Organs and Pericyte Biology - Novel Concepts, Pericyte Biology in Disease presents a comprehensive update on the latest information and most novel functions attributed to pericytes. To those researchers newer to this area, it will be useful to have the background information on these cells' unique history. It will be invaluable for both advanced cell biology students as well as researchers in cell biology, stem cell biology and clinicians involved with these specific diseases.

In the recent years, a significant amount of research has emerged connecting the link between alcohol and cancer. The field has rapidly advanced, especially since the complex connection between alcohol and cancer has several unique sub areas that are being investigated. This proceedings volume will contain chapters based upon the presentation of the 2nd International Conference on Alcohol and Cancer in Colorado, 2013. The various topics explore the affects of alcohol on: liver and breast cancer; cell signaling and cancer; stem cells; biomarkers and metabolomics; aerodigestive cancers; cancer and the immune system and more.

The potato (Solanum tuberosum L. ) tuber is a major food source in many countries of the world, and subsequently potato has been the target of a good deal of effort directed at engineering disease and herbicide tolerance, and improvements in various crop characteristics. Consequently investigations into the regulation of gene expression in tubers is relevant to these endeavours, as tubers are the main target organ for modification of gene expression. We have been interested in the regulation of genes in tubers for these reasons. Morphologically tubers are modified stems, which have enlarged radially by limited cell division and substantial expansion. At the molecular level, tuber development is characterised by a massive increase in starch deposition and the synthesis of a limited number of abundant proteins. These include proteinase inhibitors and a 40kd group of proteins called patatin, which are acyl hydrolases. Together these proteins account for over 50% of tuber proteins (reviewed by Bevan, 1991). The synthesis of these proteins has parallels to the synthesis of other somatic storage proteins, especially the VSP proteins of soybean. In both potato and soybean, removal of the sink for these proteins (tubers and pods, respectively) causes deposition in other tissues (Staswick, 1990). It is hypothesised that transcriptional control of the genes encoding these proteins is regulated in part by source-sink relationships of metabolites or other factors. In the case of VSPs, both amino acid levels and jasmonic acid play a major regulatory role (Staswick et aI.

This introductory guide provides novice researchers and lab students with a thorough step-by-step approach to standard animal cell culture techniques. Coverage includes lab safety and best practices, sterility management, preparation, ethical considerations, and troubleshooting for common pain points. This is an up-to-date, indispensable handbook for early-career researchers and students, as well as established scientists in biotechnology, cell and developmental biology, pharmaceutical toxicology, cytogenetics, and more.

All the information necessary to set up and run a tissue culture facility is provided in this introductory book.; ; Includes an overview of all the basic tissue culture techniques and describes in detail both the theoretical background and the practical a

This detailed collection serves as a unique and excellent collection of state-of-the-art methods and protocols to interrogate cell migration in a wide variety of different contexts and model organisms, as well as advanced image analysis and quantitative assessment of a diverse array of parameters related to cell migration. The book focuses on the cell biology of cell migration, developmental model systems to assess cell migration during morphogenesis, cell migration in cancers and the tumor micro-environment, as well as blood vessel formation and interactions. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step and readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Cell Migration in Three Dimensions provides a solid foundation for scientists of different disciplines to investigate cell migration in biological processes. Chapters 7, 12, 16, 17, 19, 22, and 24 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This detailed volume provides a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art metabolomics methods based on mass spectrometry (MS), and their application in food, nutrition, and biomedical research. The chapters assembled herein cover hot topics related to sample preparation, chromatographic and electrophoretic separation, MS-based analysis, as well as data processing and analysis. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step and readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Mass Spectrometry for Metabolomics serves as a timely guide for chemists, biochemists, biologists, nutritionists, clinicians, and other experts working in the growing and exciting field of metabolomics.

This detailed volume explores poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) in the biology of eukaryotes and their relevance to human health. Beginning with a section on the detection and quantification of poly(ADP-ribose) polymer (pADPr), the book continues by delving into the identification of protein targets, functional analysis, the poly(ADP-ribosyl)ating pathway in chromatin and genes expression, as well as the use of animal models and PARP1 inhibitor design and testing, and more. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step and readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date, Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase: Methods and Protocols, Third Edition presents essential new and classical methods for studying the pADPr-pathway.

In recent years, a new understanding of cell-penetrating peptides has emerged, helping researchers to expand beyond a number of long-held dogmas. In Cell-Penetrating Peptides: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers explore the latest information on cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), providing insight into the most important and contemporary areas of CPP research. Chapters address the historical background of CPP studies, provide an overview of the growing field of research, investigate methods for testing CPP mechanisms, present a summary of methods that attempt to use properties of CPPs to study biochemical intracellular mechanisms of interaction and signal transduction, and include new ideas for turning CPP-based strategies into drugs. Composed in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology(TM) series format, each chapter contains a brief introduction, step-by-step methods, a list of necessary materials, and a Notes section which shares tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Innovative and current, Cell-Penetrating Peptides: Methods and Protocols is an essential guide that allows researchers to study intracellular mechanisms in new ways, and to promote the future development of novel drugs.

This book describes these exciting new developments, and presents experimental and computational findings that altogether describe the frontier of knowledge in cellular and biomolecular mechanics, and the biological implications, in health and disease. The book is written for bioengineers with interest in cellular mechanics, for biophysicists, biochemists, medical researchers and all other professionals with interest in how cells produce and respond to mechanical loads.

Polymer and cell dynamics play an important role in processes like tumor growth, metastasis, embryogenesis, immune reactions and regeneration. This volume based on an international workshop on numerical simulations of polymer and cell dynamics in Bad Honnef (Germany) in 2000 provides an overview of the relevant mathematical and numerical methods, their applications and limits. The contributions are from the fields of applied and numerical mathematics, scientific computing, theoretical physics, molecular biophysics, cell and molecular biology as well as chemical and biomedical engineering. The volume will be of interest to scientists and advanced undergraduates in the fields of biotechnology, biomedicine, applied mathematics, biomathematics, biophysics and bioinformatics."

Concentrating on proven data and adopting a structure-function approach, this text provides grounding for an intricate understanding of the molecular biology, physiological mechanisms, and routine clinical use in disease settings of colony-stimulating factors (CSFs). This edition includes eight additional chapters, with updates of recently-discovered and established CSFs, each indexed individually.

This book contains most of the scientific contributions during the 48th annual conference of the International Society on Oxygen Transport to Tissue (ISOTT), which was held electronically in July 2021. It includes multidisciplinary contributions from scientists (physicists, biologists and chemists), engineers, clinicians and mathematicians and covers covers all aspects of oxygen transport from air to the cells, organs and organisms; instrumentation and methods to sense oxygen and clinical evidence.

This book discusses advancements in the applications of nanoparticles in tissue engineering. It examines the applications of nanobiomaterials in hard tissue regeneration, fabrication, and characterization. The book also analyzes the implication of three-dimensional and four-dimensional fabrication techniques for the production of the scaffold in tissue engineering and their advantages over conventional scaffold production techniques. Further, it presents smart materials used in making 4-D scaffolds that imitate the dynamic response of tissue against natural stimuli and adapt to the microenvironment by changing their conformation or other properties. It also summarizes the growing field of biomolecular detection and biosensors in tissue engineering and the increasing prominence of nanoparticles in the biosensors. Further, it provides the future outlook and associated challenges of the application of nanomaterials in tissue engineering.

T-type calcium channels are prevalent in every organ of the body, and are believed to play a part in a variety of physiological processes, including contraction, shape change, secretion, endo- and exocytosis, cell proliferation and differentiation, modulation of enzyme function, and cell cycle progression. As such, research on the roles of these channels in a wide range of diseases has attracted increasing attention in recent years. The purpose of this book is to present a series of unique and comprehensive reviews of our current understanding of T-type calcium channels at the level of the basic sciences as well as the clinical sciences. For key organ systems, information is provided on the correlation between the molecular, biophysical and pharmacological properties of the channels, their cellular mechanisms, and their potential roles in the pathogenesis of various diseases. The compilation presents both commonplace and less well-known findings on these channels in a format designed to appeal to both casual readers and specialists in basic and clinical research on these transporters.

This book describes the three gasotransmitters nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and carbon monoxide (CO) and their function as intracellular signalling molecules in plants. Common properties are shared by NO, H2S and CO: they are beneficial at low concentrations but hazardous in higher amounts; they are small molecules of gas; they can freely cross cell membranes; their effects do not rely on receptors; they are generated enzymatically and their production is regulated; their functions can be mimicked by exogenous application; and their cellular effects may or may not be mediated by second messengers, but have specific cellular and molecular targets. In plants, many aspects of the biology of gasotransmitters remain completely unknown and generate intriguing questions, which will be discussed in this book.

This volume examines the role of mitochondria in different types of cell death, including apoptotic and necrotic cell deaths. Topics discussed include mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) and the permeability transition pore; core processes such as calcium handling, fission and fusion, reactive oxygen species generation, and maintenance of mitochondrial DNA fidelity and protein folding homeostasis; and retrograde signaling between mitochondria and other cellular components, including the important role of mitochondria in antiviral immunity. The expertly authored chapters are drawn from multidisciplinary international perspectives, lending a nuanced and comprehensive approach to the material. Mitochondria and Cell Death, part of the Cell Death in Biology and Diseases series, is invaluable reading for graduate students, researchers, and clinicians in the fields of neuroscience, oncology, gastroenterology, and hepatology, as well as those interested in the study of mitochondria and cell biology.

Several years ago, when the discovery of catalytic RNA was recognized in a public manner,many people asked if new ?elds of therapy would soon be available. Although some tentative positive answers were given,nobody would say with certainty that RNA of various kinds was a truly promising means of altering gene expression. In fact,over the past decade,both our knowledge of RNAs with different functions and the utility of RNA in the inhibition or enhancement of gene expression have occurred with great drama. We proceeded in terms of possible therapeutic tools from RNase P and group I introns through "hammerhead" RNA enzymes, antisense technology, and more recently, to RNAi and its derivatives. A useful practical method of RNA delivery in animals will complete the picture. The diversity of RNA and the varied role of it inside cells and in therapy should be a tremendous challenge for young molecular biologists. This volume will make their task easier. Sidney Altman Sterling Professor of Molecular,Cellular & Devel- mental Biology,Nobel Laureate Department of Molecular,Cellular and Developm- tal Biology Yale University V NGTPR 4/23/05 1:00 PM Page VI VI Foreword Delivery of nucleic acids to cells in an animal remains a challenging problem. It is the major obstacle to success of therapeutic approaches using genes and oli- nucleotides,including siRNAs. Solutions found so far by chemists are satisfactory only for transfection of cells in culture.

The book represents a comprehensive review and synthesis of the biomedical literature that spans over a half-century on a single protein called glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (or, GAPDH). Due to the protein's involvement in a vast array of cellular activities, GAPDH is of interest to the cell biologist, immunologist, virologist, biochemist etc. The protein has a significant role in fertility, cancer and neurodegeneration, suggesting that this book can be a vital resource for drug development. GAPDH function may provide insight into anesthesia. Furthermore, GAPDH is highly conserved meaning that the protein found in microorganisms, such as pathogens, remained relatively unchanged in evolution. Pathogens use GAPDH as a virulence factor, offering a unique challenge in developing anti-microbial agents that target this protein. To the evolutionary biologist, a book on the multi-functionality of GAPDH provides a focal point for a cogent discussion on the very origin of life.

This work offers a fascinating insight into a crucial genetic process. Recombination is, quite simply, one of the most important topics in contemporary biology. This book is a totally comprehensive treatment of the subject, summarizing all existing views on the topic and at the same time putting them into context. It provides in-depth and up-to-date analysis of the chapter topics, and has been written by international experts in the field.

This monograph is dedicated to the lives and scientific achievements of the physiology pioneers Warren and Margaret Lewis. Their story spans the first half of the 20th century, from their respective educations through early, independent research to joint research from 1910 to 1955. Among the numerous developments they initiated, were the discovery of pinocytosis, the beginnings of video microscopy and the development of the first mammalian tissue cultures. Their research expanded the theoretical knowledge of cell structure and function. On a more practical level, they advanced many laboratory methods, like the first recipes for culture media. The text is beautifully enriched with personal anecdotes about their lives. This is the story of two scientific pioneers in the context of early 20th century biology and physiology. It is an inspiration for senior and aspiring researchers.

A comprehensive collection of optimized methods for dissecting the mechanisms that control epidermal growth factors (EGF) and their regulators in both normal and pathological states. These readily reproducible techniques range from the study of purified EGF receptor to complex signaling and processing networks in intact cells, including a chapter on the clinical and pharmacological considerations of their use in cancer therapy. The protocols follow the successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, each offering step-by-step laboratory instructions, an introduction outlining the principles behind the technique, lists of the necessary equipment and reagents, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Structured Biological Modelling presents a straightforward introduction for computer-aided analysis, mathematical modelling, and simulation of cell biological systems. This unique guide brings together the physiological, structural, molecular biological, and theoretical aspects of the signal transduction network that regulates growth and proliferation in normal and tumor cells. It provides comprehensive survey of functional and theoretical features of intracellular signal processing and introduces the concept of cellular self-organization. Exemplified by oscillatory calcium waves, strategies for the design of computer experiments are presented that can assist or even substitute for time-consuming biological experiments. The presented minimal model for proliferation-associated signal transduction clearly shows the alterations of the cellular signal network involved in neoplastic growth. This book will be useful to cell and molecular biologists, oncologists, physiologists, theoretical biologists, computer scientists, and all other researchers and students studying functional aspects of cellular signaling.

This text incorporates modern molecular knowledge of the structure and regulation of genes into an evolutionary framework, stressing the importance of genomic integration as a selectable feature in the evolution of multicellular phenotypes. It reinterprets important subjects in the new framework, including transposable elements, epigenetics, the evolution of sex, phenotypic plasticity and the evolution and regulation of longevity assurance systems.