The cytoskeleton is comprised of a variety of specialized proteins, and is a dynamic structure that is involved in the majority of key cellular events. There is increasing interest in the role of the cytoskeleton in human disease. This volume brings together human disease states where cytoskeletal disruptions are driving disease. Our emerging understanding of the molecular and cellular events that drive cytoskeletal mediated diseases including cancer, heart disease, myopathies and skin disorders, are also helping shape targeted therapeutic approaches to treating these diseases.

Required reading for anyone involved in cell signaling research with articles written and edited by experts in the field. This title covers disease states such as lymphoid leukemia, breast cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis, andinflammatory bowel disease, along with up-to-date research on signaling systems and mutations in
transcription factors that provide new targets for treating disease.
Articles written and edited by experts in the field
Thematic volume covering disease states such as lymphoid leukemia, breast cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease
Up-to-date research on signaling systems and mutations in transcription factors that provide new targets for treating disease

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 book provides an essential overview of existing state-of-the-art quantitative imaging methodologies and protocols (intensity-based ratiometric and FLIM/ PLIM). A variety of applications are covered, including multi-parametric quantitative imaging in intestinal organoid culture, autofluorescence imaging in cancer and stem cell biology, Ca2+ imaging in neural ex vivo tissue models, as well as multi-parametric imaging of pH and viscosity in cancer biology. The current state-of-the-art of 3D tissue models and their compatibility with live cell imaging is also covered. This is an ideal book for specialists working in tissue engineering and designing novel biomaterial.

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.

Cell-cell adhesion is fundamental for the development and homeostasis of animal tissues and organs. Adherens junctions (AJs) are the best understood cell-cell adhesion complexes. In this volume, internationally recognized experts review AJ biology over a wide range of organization; from atoms to molecules, to protein complexes, molecular networks, cells, tissues, and overall animal development. AJs have also been an integral part of animal evolution, and play central roles in cancer development, pathogen infection and other diseases. This book addresses major questions encompassing AJ biology. - How did AJs evolve? - How do cadherins and catenins interact to assemble AJs and mediate adhesion? - How do AJs interface with other cellular machinery to couple adhesion with the whole cell? - How do AJs affect cell behaviour and multicellular development? - How can abnormal AJ activity lead to disease? Valuable for both newcomers and experts in the field, this book offers a comprehensive resource for the research laboratory and a teaching tool for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in cell and developmental biology.

Cytosol, the liquid found inside cells, is the site for multiple cell processes, including signaling from the cell membrane to sites within the cell. Cytosolic signaling mechanisms are researched and studied in graduate programs in cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, molecular and cellular physiology, pharmacy, and biomedical sciences.

Articles written and edited by experts in the field
Thematic volume covering material needed for young professionals joining the field of research and graduate students taking survey courses
Up-to-date research on signaling systems and mutations in transcription factors that provide new targets for treating disease

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 must-have cell signaling title will appeal to researchers across molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology and genetics. The articles are written and edited by experts in the field and emphasize signaling to and from intracellular compartments including transcriptional responses to cytoplasmic and nuclear signaling events, chromatin remodeling and stress responses, the regulation of endoplasmic reticulum function, control of cell cycle progression and apoptosis and the modulation of the activities of mitochondria and other organelles.

Articles written and edited by experts in the field
Thematic volume covering regulation of endoplasmic reticulum function, regulation of cell cycle progression, and quality control and assurance in mitochondrion events
Up-to-date research on events in membrane proteins and proteins of intracellular matrix

A primary component of cell signaling research, this title covers the principal membrane-bound receptor families, including their structural organization. Written and edited by experts in the field, this book provides up-to-date research on transmembrane signaling entities and their initiating responses following extracellular stimulation.

Articles written and edited by experts in the field
Thematic volume covering effectors, cytosolic events, nuclear, and cytoplasmic events
Up-to-date research on signaling systems and mutations in transcription factors that provide new targets for treating disease

This book sheds new light on the physiology, molecular biology and pathophysiology of epithelial ion channels and transporters. It combines the basic cellular models and functions by means of a compelling clinical perspective, addressing aspects from the laboratory bench to the bedside. The individual chapters, written by leading scientists and clinicians, explore specific ion channels and transporters located in the epithelial tissues of the kidney, intestine, pancreas and respiratory tract, all of which play a crucial part in maintaining homeostasis. Further topics include the fundamentals of epithelial transport; mathematical modeling of ion transport; cell volume regulation; membrane protein folding and trafficking; transepithelial transport functions; and lastly, a discussion of transport proteins as potential pharmacological targets with a focus on the pharmacology of potassium channels.

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.

Presenting state-of-the-art protocols to study gap junctions, this detailed book first focuses on the use of methods and tools to investigate the different aspects of connexin expression and gap junction regulation. The second part of the volume describes several methods to probe gap junction functionality as such. 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 and readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Gap Junction Protocols is intended for basic and applied researchers in the area of biomedical and life sciences, both in academic and industrial settings.

This volume covers the latest technological advances in the characterization of the biosynthesis and functions of Rab GTPases and their regulation by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs). The book consists of 28 chapters and starts with an overview of the Rab GTPase family. The next few chapters describe systematic approaches to the identification and classification of Rabs and Rab GAPs, as well as the detection of Rab isoprenylation and membrane distribution. The last few chapters examine the biochemical and functional properties of individual Rabs in the order of exocytic, recycling and endocytic Rabs. Written in the highly successful Methods of 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. Instructive and practical, Rab GTPases: Methods and Protocols approaches each topic with great detail and is a valuable resource for researchers and students interested in the field of Rab GTPases.

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.

"International Review of Cell and Molecular Biology "presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology--both plant and animal. Articles address structure and control of gene expression, nucleocytoplasmic interactions, control of cell development and differentiation, and cell transformation and growth. Impact factor for 2008: 4.935.

* Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field * Provides up-to-date information and directions for future research * Valuable reference material for advanced undergraduates, graduate students and professional scientists

Nanotechnology plays a key leading role in developing tools able to identify, measure, and study cellular events at the nanometric level as well as in contributing to the disclosure of unknown biological interactions and mechanisms, which opens the door for advances including nanodevices for diagnostic and therapy, drug delivery systems, and regenerative medicine. In Nanotechnology in Regenerative Medicine: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field provide an overview of a very wide range of currently used technologies and methods that involve nanotechnology principles applicable to tissue regeneration. Being that the application of nanotechnology to regenerative medicine is a very broad field, this book focuses its interests on particular areas such as its use as a means to produce efficient platforms and structures for tissue engineering, delivery systems and biosensors, as well as the use of some techniques to study materials surfaces and the interactions between cells, biomolecules, and surfaces at the nanoscale. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their related 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 accessible, Nanotechnology in Regenerative Medicine: Methods and Protocols provides established scientists, junior researchers, and students involved in the bioengineering, biotechnology, and biomedical fields with a sound foundation in a variety of vital nanotechnology approaches in regenerative medicine.

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.

This volume of Methods in Cell Biology, the first of3 parts on the subject of zebrafish, provides a comprehensive compendia of laboratory protocols and reviews covering all the new methods developed since 2004. This first volume provides state-of-the-art descriptions of novel cellular imaging technologies and methods for culture of zebrafish stem cells, summarizes protocols for analyzingthe development of major organ systems including the central nervous system (CNS), and introduces the use of the zebrafish as a model system for human diseases.
* Details state-of-the art zebrafish protocols, delineating critical steps in the procedures as well as potential pitfalls
* Summarizes the Zebrafish Genome Project"

Every cell of the body is dependent on calcium to function. Calcium is found in teeth and bones, and calcium signalling is necessary for the movement of muscles and for the action of the heart and the intestines as well as blood coagulation. This volume will update classic techniques in detecting microscopic levels of calcium ions (Ca2+) in living cells, as well as address new techniques in the field of calcium detection and calcium signaling. Such detection and measurement of intracellular calcium is important to researchers studying the heart, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, and immune systems, whose findings will aid in the advancement of drug and genomic therapies to treat heart, gastrointestinal, autoimmune, and infectious diseases.
*Gives researchers much needed information on how to study calcium in live cells, which is becoming increasingly important in heart, musculoskeletal, and immune system research.
*Provides an overview of the latest methods--fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), for example-- that are new to the field
*Allows understanding of how calcium plays a role in intracellular function at the cellular level, which has proved important in Alzheimer's research, heart disease, and areas of musculoskeletal research.
*Updated chapters reflect advancements in the classic techniques used'preparing calcium buffers, vibrating the Ca2+ Electrode and confocal imaging.

"International Review of Cell and Molecular Biology "presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology--both plant and animal. Articles address structure and control of gene expression, nucleocytoplasmic interactions, control of cell development and differentiation, and cell transformation and growth. Impact factor for 2008: 4.935.

* Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field * Provides up-to-date information and directions for future research * Valuable reference material for advanced undergraduates, graduate students and professional scientists

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (MAPK) cascades are key signaling components that govern essentially all cellular processes evoked by any type of stimulation, and it has been well established that the malfunctioning of these cascades leads to various diseases including cancer, autoimmunity, and diabetes. In MAP Kinase Signaling Protocols, Second Edition, expert researchers fully update the popular first edition the key techniques used in the study of MAPK signaling cascades in various cellular contexts. This thorough volume explores essential topics such as activation and function of components of the MAPK signaling cascades, the study of MAPK cascades as transmitters of membranal receptor signals, structure-function relationships of MAPKs, studies on the regulation of MAPK cascades, the use of lower organisms, animal models, and human genetics in the study of MAPKs, as well as the study of MAPKs in specific systems and diseases. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology(TM) series format, chapters includes introductions to their respective subjects, lists of the necessary materials, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, MAP Kinase Signaling Protocols, Second Edition aims to facilitate the study of MAPKs and allow for quicker progress in our knowledge of many vital cellular processes as well as devastating diseases.

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.

This volume reviews the most important recent findings of the studies on pathogenic E. coli providing a timely overview of the field. The topics covered include epidemiology of the disease in humans and animals and the biological mechanisms that shaped the pathogenic types of E. coli; shiga toxins; subtilase cytotoxin; cell cycle modulating toxins; the heat stable and heat labile exterotoxins; and much more.