International Review of Cytology presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology both plant and animal. Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research. Articles in this volume address adaptations for nocturnal vision in insect apposition eyes; kinase and phosphatase: the cog and spring of the circadian clock; a model for lymphatic regeneration in tissue repair of the muscle coat; calcium homeostasis in human placenta: role of calcium handling proteins; new insights into the cell biology of the marginal zone of the spleen; cell biology of t cell activation and differentiation.

International Review of Cytology presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology both plant and animal. Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research. Articles in this volume address endogenous ligands of PACAP, VIP receptors in the autocrine-paracrine regulation of the adrenal gland; ultrastructural dynamcs of human reproduction, from ovulation to fertilization and early embryo development; chromosomal variation in mammalian neuronal cells; automated interpretation of protein subcellular location patterns; cell and molecular biology of human lacrimal gland and nasolacrimal duct mucins.

This volume examines the molecular basis of all aspects of cell division and cytokinesis in plants. It features 19 chapters contributed by world experts in the specific research fields, providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge on cell division control in plants. The editors are veterans in the field of plant molecular biology and highly respected worldwide.

This next volume in our established series proposes to systematically review the basic science and clinical knowledge of the role of free radicals and antioxidants, collectively known as "oxidative stress", in the pathology of arthritis and other joint diseases. It will describe the most current diagnostic tools , laboratory methods and technology, to suggest ways of prevention and treatment and to emphasize the concept of the bench-to-bedside approach. The book will also provide specific coverage on emerging technology and medical applications including discussions of biomarkers and antioxidants as therapeutic agents and several more relevant aspects. In addition, the book will promote the concept of using biomarkers representative of oxidative stress reactions and free radical damage , as well as describe the effect of antioxidants in treating disease in clinical trials. The content will be valuable to researchers studying the development of arthritis/joint disease, and clinicians treating patients with these diagnoses.

International Review of Cytology presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology both plant and animal. Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research. Articles in this volume address roles of PACAP-containing retinal ganglion cells in circadian timing; cell polarity in filamenous fungi; cellular and molecular mechanics of gliding locomotion in eukaryotes; current strategies in overcoming resistance of cancer cell and apoptosis; cell and molecular biology of the exosome: how to make of break an RNA; human hair keratin associated proteins (KAPs).

This detailed book provides technical approaches to tackle a variety of questions related to intracellular lipid transport in order to improve our understanding at different scales of how lipids are accurately displaced between organelles, across long distances or at membrane contact sites, or within cellular membranes. The volume begins with methodologies to measure the movement of varied lipid species between or in organelle membranes, inside eukaryotic cells, including plant cells, or in bacteria, and continues in vitro or in silico approaches aiming to define, more from a biochemical and structural standpoints, how lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) or flippases/scramblases precisely function. 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, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Intracellular Lipid Transport: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for researchers seeking to shed light on diverse aspects of this critical and often elusive cellular process.

This book brings together the most important research developments of the past 45 years that have enriched our knowledge and contributed to a better understanding of the biochemistry and cell and molecular biology of basement membranes. It describes the studies that shed light on the ultrastructural organization, the biosynthesis of the macromolecular components, their functions in embryonic development and differentiation, and in the mature state. A major portion of the book is devoted to the description of the genes that regulate the expression of the various structural macromolecules.
* Reviews the early years of research and the discovery of type IV collagen
* Presents the diversity of basement membrane morphology
* Discusses gene structure

The centromere is a chromosomal region that enables the accurate segregation of chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis. It holds sister chromatids together, and through its centromere DNA-protein complex known as the kinetochore binds spindle microtubules to bring about accurate chromosome movements. Despite this conserved function, centromeres exhibit dramatic difference in structure, size, and complexity. Extensive studies on centromeric DNA revealed its rapid evolution resulting often in significant difference even among closely related species. Such a plasticity of centromeric DNA could be explained by epigenetic c- trol of centromere function, which does not depend absolutely on primary DNA sequence. According to epigenetic centromere concept, which is thoroughly d- cussed by Tanya Panchenko and Ben Black in Chap. 1 of this book, centromere activation or inactivation might be caused by modifications of chromatin. Such acquired chromatin epigenetic modifications are then inherited from one cell di- sion to the next. Concerning centromere-specific chromatin modification, it is now evident that all centromeres contain a centromere specific histone H3 variant, CenH3, which replaces histone H3 in centromeric nucleosomes and provides a structural basis that epigenetically defines centromere and differentiates it from the surrounding chromatin. Recent insights into the CenH3 presented in this chapter add important mechanistic understanding of how centromere identity is initially established and subsequently maintained in every cell cycle.

Goringer 's brilliant new work dedicates a chapter to each of the main types of RNA editing the very first volume to do so. All of the sections here have been written by experts in the various research areas and a specific focus is put on the correlation between RNA structure and function, as well as on the complex cellular machineries that catalyze the different editing reactions. This leads to a "state of the art" compendium of our current knowledge on RNA editing.

Human Fertility: Methods and Protocols is intended for all practitioners of reproductive medicine and ART, as well as for embryologists and reproductive, developmental, cell and molecular biologists and others in the biomedical sciences. The volume presents straight-forward manner best practice approaches for overcoming a host of fertility challenges. 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, Human Fertility: Methods and Protocols aids scientists in continuing to study assisted reproductive technologies.

The research field of biobanks and tissue research is highly promising. Many projects around the globe are involved in the collection of human tissue and health data for research purposes. These initiatives are driven by the perspective of decisive breakthroughs in the knowledge of the genetic pathways involved in widespread diseases. However, there are considerable ethical and legal challenges to be considered as well. These challenges encompass the use of body material for research purposes, the misuse of genetic and other health data by third parties, trust in science and medicine, concerns regarding privacy, use of genetic data for forensic applications by the state and the police, and regulatory issues. This volume is divided into three parts: the inclusion of the public, the rights of donors and patients, examples and recommendations for the future of tissue research. It presents a comprehensive overview of the most important topics in the field by renowned scholars in medical ethics and biolaw.

This volume provides readers with a better understanding of organogenesis in developmental biology and next-generation organ regenerative therapy. This book focuses on recent studies of organ regeneration from stem cells using in vitro 3D cell culture and manipulation. The chapters cover topics such as generation of a 3D retinal tissue formation; functional salivary gland regeneration; liver regeneration using cultures liver bud; and in vivo model of small intestine. 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. Comprehensive and thorough, Organ Regeneration: 3D Stem Cell Culture and Manipulation is a valuable resource for scientists and researchers who are interested in this field.

This is a valuable, up-to-date, and newly revised collection of articles by noted experts to address all aspects of the stem cell controversy.

International Review of Cytology presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology both plant and animal. Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research. Articles in this volume address new insights into fatty acid modulation of pancreatic beta cell function; drosophila RNA binding proteins; plasticity of pelvic autonomic ganglia and urogenital innervation; vomeronasal vs. olifactory epithelium: cellular basis for human vomeronasal perception; and tight junctions.

Mitochondria in plants, as in other eukaryotes, play an essential role in the cell as the major producers of ATP via oxidative phosphorylation. However, mitochondria also play crucial roles in many other aspects of plant development and performance, and possess an array of unique properties which allow them to interact with the specialized features of plant cell metabolism. The two main themes running through the book are the interconnection between gene regulation and protein function, and the integration of mitochondria with other components of plant cells.

The book begins with an overview of the dynamics of mitochondrial structure, morphology and inheritance. It then discusses the biogenesis of mitochondria, the regulation of gene expression, the mitochondrial genome and its interaction with the nucleus, and the targeting of proteins to the organelle. This is followed by a discussion of the contributions that mutations, involving mitochondrial proteins, have made to our understanding of the way the organelle interacts with the rest of the plant cell, and the new field of proteomics and the discovery of new functions. Also covered are the pathways of electron transport, with special attention to the non-phosphorylating bypasses, metabolite transport, and specialized mitochondrial metabolism.

In the end, the impact of oxidative stress on mitochondria and the defense mechanisms, that are employed to allow survival, are discussed. This book is for the use of advanced undergraduates, graduates, postgraduates, and beginning researchers in the areas of molecular and cellular biology, integrative biology, biochemistry, bioenergetics, proteomics and plant and agricultural sciences.

Cell cycle checkpoints control the fidelity and orderly progression of eukaryotic cell division. By controlling the orderly progression of critical cell cycle events such as DNA replication and chromosome segregation and ensuring proper repair of damaged DNA, cell cycle checkpoints function to ensure genome integrity. Mechanisms of checkpoint controls are not only the research focus of investigators interested in mechanisms that regulate the cell cycle, but are also the interests of researchers studying cancer development as it is increasingly clear that loss of cell cycle checkpoints, which leads to genomic instability as a result, is a hallmark of tumorigenesis. Cell Cycle Checkpoints: Methods and Protocols provides detailed descriptions of methodologies currently employed by researchers in the field, including those commonly used in the mammalian, yeast, C. elegans, Drosophila, and Xenopus model systems. Each chapter describes a specific technique or protocol, such as a method to induce cell cycle checkpoints in a particular model system, to synchronize a population of cells to allow observations of cell cycle progression, to identify genes involved in checkpoint regulation, and to study particular protein components of cell cycle checkpoint pathways. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Cell Cycle Checkpoints: Methods and Protocols seeks to serve both professionals and novices with its well-honed methodologies in an effort to further our knowledge of this essential field.

Disulfide-containing proteins belong to a unique class of proteins for studying the mechanism of protein folding. Their folding mechanism can be analyzed by three distinct techniques: (1) The conventional denaturation-renaturation method (disulfide intact); (2) The disulfide oxidation method (oxidative folding); and (3) The emerging disulfide scrambling method. Each technique provides specific information as to how an unfolded disulfide protein refolds to form the native structure. This book is intended to highlight the knowledge of several important proteins (BPTI, RNase A, beta-Lactalbumin and Lysozyme etc.) that have been characterized in depth by these methodologies. The book will also devote sections to comparing these methodologies and chaperones (PDI and Dsb machineries) that facilitate folding of disulfide proteins. Folding of Disulfide Proteins aims to cover the knowledge of protein folding accumulated from studies of disulfide-containing proteins, including methodologies, folding pathways, and folding mechanism of numerous extensively characterized disulfide proteins. This book will be of interest to those interested in problems related to protein folding, and anyone who is interested in understanding the mechanism of protein misfolding and protein misfolding-related diseases. Folding of Disulfide Proteins aims to cover the knowledge of protein folding accumulated from studies of disulfide-containing proteins, including methodologies, folding pathways, and folding mechanism of numerous extensively characterized disulfide proteins. This book will be of interest to those interested in problems related to protein folding, and anyone who is interested in understanding the mechanism of protein misfolding and protein misfolding-related diseases.

This book puts the ethics, policy and politics of stem cells into context in a way that helps readers understand why past and current issues have developed the way they have and what the implications are for their work going forward. It also addresses emerging issues as the field progresses towards clinical and industrial uses. While there is a superabundance of material on the ethics of embryo use and questions of embryonic "personhood," there is little that covers what practicing scientists and managers need to know in order to plan and execute responsible research. Furthermore, researchers funded by the NIH are required to have ethics training as a condition of the grant. As such, this book is an essential resource to all of these pre-professional students whether they plan to move into industry, government or academia.

Once per life cycle, mitotic nuclear divisions are replaced by meiosis I and II reducing chromosome number from the diploid level to a haploid genome and recombining chromosome arms by crossing-over. In animals, all this happens during formation of eggs and sperm in yeasts before spore formation. The mechanisms of reciprocal exchange at crossover/chiasma sites are central to mainstream meiosis. To initiate the meiotic exchange of DNA, surgical cuts are made as a form of calculated damage that subsequently is repaired by homologous recombination. These key events are accompanied by ancillary provisions at the level of chromatin organization, sister chromatid cohesion and differential centromere connectivity. Great progress has been made in recent years in our understanding of these mechanisms. Questions still open primarily concern the placement of and mutual coordination between neighboring crossover events. Of overlapping significance, this book features two comprehensive treatises of enzymes involved in meiotic recombination, as well as the historical conceptualization of meiotic phenomena from genetical experiments. More specifically, these mechanisms are addressed in yeasts as unicellular model eukaryotes. Furthermore, evolutionary subjects related to meiosis are treated."

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine represents a wide array of cell, biomaterial and cell/biomaterial based approaches focusing on the repair, augmentation, and regeneration of diseases tissues and organs. Organ Regeneration: Methods and Protocols has been assembled in response to the growing interest in organ and tissue regeneration as a means to treat disease. Topics cover methods such as isolation and characterization of cells from selected soft tissues and solid organs, preparation and evaluation of natural and synthetic biomaterial scaffolding, implantation of regenerative constructs within experimental animals, and evaluation of regenerative outcomes by molecular and histological methodologies. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Organ Regeneration: Methods and Protocols serves as a detailed guide to aid newcomers and seasoned veterans in their developmental and experimental work in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Simple carbohydrates, complex oligosaccharides and polysaccharides all belong to a class of ubiquitous (macro)molecules that exhibit a wide range of biological functions, and the recent advent of enhanced enzymatic, chemical and analytical tools used to study these sugars has inaugurated a genuine explosion in the field of glycomics. Specifically, it has led to a deeper understanding of how specific sugar structures modulate cellular phenotypes, and that breakthrough has led to the discovery of new pharmaceuticals for the treatment of many serious diseases, such as cancer. The subsequent rapid expansion of this research holds high promise for future therapeutic regimens, and capillary electrophoresis (CE) refers to the range of related separation techniques that are integral to this vital research. CE uses narrow-bore fused-silica capillaries to separate a complex array of large and small molecules, and Capillary Electrophoresis of Carbohydrates offers a comprehensive look at the latest breakthroughs and improvements in CE and CE techniques applied to monosaccharides up to complex oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. It begins with an overview of the application of CE and CE- mass spectrometric in the analysis of simple carbohydrates without any previous derivatization step before discussing various detection techniques such as spectrophotometric detection, electrochemical detection and other less common techniques. It then covers in detail an array of related topics and numerous applications. It is an essential text for anyone exploring the myriad possibilities of this rapidly expanding field.

"International Review of Cytology" presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology both plant and animal. Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research. Articles in this volume address Calpain proteases in cell adhesion and motility; Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-b) and programmed cell death in the vertebrate retina; Molecular Mechanism of Apoptosis Induced by Mechanical Forces; Cellular functions of ER chaperones Calreticulin, calnexin, and Erp57; Plasticity of nonapeptidergic neurosecretory cells in connection with the discovery of neurosecretion; Interactions between virus proteins and host cell membranes during viral life cycle; Nerve ending "signal" proteins GAP-43, MARCKS and BASP1.

Enzymes and whole cells are able to catalyze the most complex chemical processes under the most benign experimental and environmental conditions. In this way, enzymes and cells could be excellent catalysts for a much more sustainable chemical industry. However, enzymes and cells also have some limitations for nonbiological applications: fine chemistry, food chemistry, analysis, therapeutics, and so on. Enzymes and cells may be unstable, difficult to handle under nonconventional conditions, poorly selective toward synthetic substrates, and so forth. From this point of view, the transformation-from the laboratory to industry-of chemical processes catalyzed by enzymes and cells may be one of the most complex and exciting goals in biotechnology. For many industrial applications, enzymes and cells have to be immobilized, via very simple and cost-effective protocols, in order to be re-used over very long periods of time. From this point of view, immobilization, simplicity, and stabilization have to be strongly related concepts. Over the last 30 years, a number of protocols for the immobilization of cells and enzymes have been reported in scientific literature. However, only very few protocols are simple and useful enough to greatly improve the functional properties of enzymes and cells, activity, stability, selectivity, and related properties.

This book aims to bridge the gap in understanding how protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), which carry out the reverse reaction of tyrosine phosphorylation, feature in cancer cell biology. The expertly authored chapters will first review the general features of the PTP superfamily, including their overall structure and enzymological properties; use selected examples of individual PTP superfamily members, to illustrate emerging data on the role of PTPs in cancer; and will review the current status of PTP-based drug development efforts. Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases in Cancer,from renowned researchers Benjamin Neel and Nicholas Tonks, is invaluable reading for researchers in oncology, stem cell signaling,and biochemistry.