Much of our knowledge of stem cells has been inferred from studies of remarkable few species. The ability to manipulate stem cells in model organisms such as the mouse and a few other vertebrate species has driven our understanding of basic biology of stem cells. The power and efficiency of studying model organisms, however, comes at a cost since a few species, obviously, do not reflect nature?'s true diversity. Unfortunately, although all multicellular organisms seem to rely on stem cells, and although this seems to be a question of key importance for understanding the evolution of animal life, little is known about stem cells in early-branching taxa. The book Stem Cells: From Hydra to Man illustrates that here is more than human and mouse stem cells to learn from. Reflecting an enormous growth in the knowledge of stem cells in various organisms, the book presents the conceptual language and the nature of questions, as well as a summary of the advances in our understanding of stem cells from a comparative point of view that has resulted from the development of new technology and the development of novel model organisms over the past few decades. As such this book is largely a horizon analysis of a frontier rather than a retrospective. It presents an integrative approach to animal stem cells and covers the major contributions, tools and trends in a newly emerging field: comparative stem cell biology.

Molecular chaperones interact with virtually every newly synthesized protein. This volume assembles a collection of reviews on molecular chaperones that is both timely and basic. The book uniquely combines the basics of the subject area with the latest results. This makes it an excellent entrance for novices into the field and is suitable for teaching purposes. It also provides a source of substantial information for experts.

International Review of Cytology presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology--both plant and animal. Articles in this volume address topics such as amphibians as models for the study of endocrine disruptors; the structure and function of the Entamoeba histoytica Gal/GalNAc lectin; epigenetic mechanisms for the primary differentiation in mammalian embryos; glycocalyx of lung epithelial cells; molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the generation of fiber diversity during myogenesis; and the leukocyte cytoskeleton in cell migration and immune interactions. Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research.

This is the first book to cover the history, structure, and application of atomic force microscopy in cell biology. Presented in the clear, well-illustrated style of the Methods in Cell Biology series, it introduces the AFM to its readers and enables them to tap the power and scope of this technology to further their own research. A practical laboratory guide for use of the atomic force and photonic force microscopes, it provides updated technology and methods in force spectroscopy. It is also a comprehensive and easy-to-follow practical laboratory guide for the use of the AFM and PFM in biological research.

Muscle contraction has been the focus of scientific investigation for more than two centuries, and major discoveries have changed the field over the years. Early in the twentieth century, Fenn (1924, 1923) showed that the total energy liberated during a contraction (heat + work) was increased when the muscle was allowed to shorten and perform work. The result implied that chemical reactions during contractions were load-dependent. The observation underlying the "Fenn effect" was taken to a greater extent when Hill (1938) published a pivotal study showing in details the relation between heat production and the amount of muscle shortening, providing investigators with the force-velocity relation for skeletal muscles. Subsequently, two papers paved the way for the current paradigm in the field of muscle contraction. Huxley and Niedergerke (1954), and Huxley and Hanson (1954) showed that the width of the A-bands did not change during muscle stretch or activation. Contraction, previously believed to be caused by shortening of muscle filaments, was associated with sliding of the thick and thin filaments. These studies were followed by the classic paper by Huxley (1957), in which he conceptualized for the first time the cross-bridge theory; filament sliding was driven by the cyclical interactions of myosin heads (cross-bridges) with actin. The original cross-bridge theory has been revised over the years but the basic features have remained mostly intact. It now influences studies performed with molecular motors responsible for tasks as diverse as muscle contraction, cell division and vesicle transport.

Only in recent times has the possibility of growing and implanting replacement teeth, made from one s own cells, moved into the realm of realistic possibilities; however, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of tooth development must be studied in a range of vertebrates, from zebrafish to mice, so that evolutionarily conserved network kernels, which will define the cellular states of generic vertebrate tooth development, can be recognized. In "Odontogenesis: Methods and Protocols," experts in the field examine techniques to approach this burgeoning field. This detailed volume includes chapters on the detection of tooth development gene expression, both at the RNA and protein level, current approaches to the manipulation of gene expression levels and subsequent analysis of tooth phenotypes, as well as chapters concerning current efforts to get living tooth implants working without waiting for a full understanding of the developmental pathways at the molecular level. 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 for troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Practical and easy to use, "Odontogenesis: Methods and Protocols" aims to help researchers move forward toward the ultimate goal of getting a bioengineered tooth into the patient s mouth.

Disorders of Protein Synthesis, Volume 132 in the Advances in Protein Chemistry and Structural Biology series, highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters written by an international board of authors.

Chromosomes Today, Volume 13 includes the plenary lectures presented at the 13th International Chromosome Conference, covering the most recent advances in the studies on chromosomes. The contributions in this volume were presented by some of the world's leaders in cytogenetic and molecular research and outline the present status of knowledge on the composition, structure, function and evolution of chromosomes, including, among others, the advancement of the human genome project. The use of cytogenetic studies has greatly increased in the last few years, resulting in a progressive improvement in the available methods that has consequently allowed a more detailed analysis of the molecular organization of eukaryotic chromosomes and a precise in situ localisation of specific gene sequences. This volume of Chromosomes Today provides up-to-date information regarding the topics at the forefront of chromosome research: genetic regulation, imprinting, DNA duplication, meiotic pairing, and the regulation of the...

This volume includes contributions by the leading experts in the field of yeast aging. Budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and other fungal organisms provide models for aging research that are relevant to organismic aging and to the aging processes occurring in the human body. Replicative aging, in which only the mother cell ages while the daughter cell resets the clock to zero is a model for the aging of stem cell populations in humans, while chronological aging (measured by survival in stationary phase) is a model for the aging processes in postmitotic cells (for instance, neurons of the brain). Most mechanisms of aging are studied in yeast. Among them, this book discusses: mitochondrial theories of aging, emphasizing oxidative stress and retrograde responses; the role of autophagy and mitophagy; the relationship of apoptosis to aging processes; the role of asymmetric segregation of damage in replicative aging; the role of replication stress; and the role of the cytoskeleton in aging. Modern methods of yeast genetics and genomics are described that can be used to search for aging-specific functions in a genome-wide unbiased fashion. The similarities in the pathology of senescence (studied in yeast) and of cancer cells, including genome instability, are examined.

A fundamental understanding of algorithmic bioprocesses is key to learning how information processing occurs in nature at the cell level. The field is concerned with the interactions between computer science on the one hand and biology, chemistry, and DNA-oriented nanoscience on the other. In particular, this book offers a comprehensive overview of research into algorithmic self-assembly, RNA folding, the algorithmic foundations for biochemical reactions, and the algorithmic nature of developmental processes.

The editors of the book invited 36 chapters, written by the leading researchers in this area, and their contributions include detailed tutorials on the main topics, surveys of the state of the art in research, experimental results, and discussions of specific research goals. The main subjects addressed are sequence discovery, generation, and analysis; nanoconstructions and self-assembly; membrane computing; formal models and analysis; process calculi and automata; biochemical reactions; and other topics from natural computing, including molecular evolution, regulation of gene expression, light-based computing, cellular automata, realistic modelling of biological systems, and evolutionary computing.

This subject is inherently interdisciplinary, and this book will be of value to researchers in computer science and biology who study the impact of the exciting mutual interaction between our understanding of bioprocesses and our understanding of computation.

International Review of Cytology presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology--both plant and animal. Articles in this volume address topics such as transcription factors in cardiogenesis, neuroactive steroid mechanisms, tetraspan vesicle proteins, the cytoskeleton in the cell cycle of higher plant cells, sexual dimorphism in the central nervous system of marsupials, and the effect of TNF receptors and Fas on signaling, gene activation, and cell death. Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research.

The potential of stem cells for healing and disease prevention in all fields of medicine is tremendous and has revolutionized the high-tech biomedical research. In this book, many of the most prominent researchers discuss the challenging topics of stem cell engineering, for example: Ethical issues of stem cell research; technological challenges, stem cell growth and differentiation, therapeutic applications, bioreactors and bioprocesses, high throughput and microfluidic screening platforms, stem cell identification and sorting, intercellular signaling and engineered niches, novel approaches for embryonic and adult stem cell growth and differentiation, stem cells and drug discovery, screening platforms. Stem Cell Engineering offers valuable background and reference for both the public and professionals including industrial staffers, faculty, researchers, engineers, students and scientific journalists.

This volume documents this unique family of cell surface proteins. Despite masquerading as intractable and difficult to clone and characterize, ENOX proteins have and continue to offer remarkable opportunities for research, commercial development and outside confirmation of therapeutic, diagnostic and new paradigms to help explain complex biological processes.

International Review of Cytology presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology--both plant and animal. Articles in this volume address topics such as GABA and GABA receptors in CNS and other organs, neuroendocrine control of pheromone biosynthesis in moths, gene transfer to salivary glands, cell type-specific
expression of secretory TFF-peptides in the brain, molecular patterning along the sea urchin animal-vegetal axis, and cell and molecular cell
biology of melanin-concentrating hormone. Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research.

International Review of Cytology presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology--both plant and animal. Articles in this volume address topics such as class A macrophage scavenger receptors, microtubule transport in the axon, G-protein-coupled receptors, genes involved in the initiation of DNA replication in yeast, phenotype switching in polymorphic tetrahymena, and mitosis and motor proteins. Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research.

In this fully revised edition of an established classic, expert researchers and clinicians describe in step-by-step detail updated techniques for the isolation and growth of major primary cell types, such as kidney proximal tubule cells, hepatocytes, keratinocytes, and cardiomyocytes. The authors offer readily reproducible new methods for the differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells into various hematopoietic cell types, for fetal thymic organ culture, and for the isolation and culture of specialized cell types, such as mammary progenitor cells, skeletal muscle myofibers, mesenchymal cells, neural stem cells, hematopoietic cells, stromal cell lines, and endothelial cells. Additional chapters describe new techniques (leukocyte rolling, isolation of side-population cells, and scalable production of ES-derived cells) and detail quality control methods for cell lines (detection and elimination of mycoplasma, DNA fingerprinting, and cytogenetic analysis).

Ithaslongbeenknownthatamphibiaandotherlowerordervertebrates havethecapacitytoregeneratelimbsaswellasdamagedheartsorbrains. Overthepastdecade,therehasbeenamajorchangeinthewaythatthe potentialforregenerationinmammalsisviewed.Earlier,incontrastto the acceptance of regeneration in amphibia, it was generally believed that there was very limited if any capacity for regeneration in many mammalianorgansystemssuchastheheartandbrain.Thediscoveryof tissue-resident adult stem cells and the description of the properties of embryonic stem cells have altered this view. This change in paradigm VI Preface has led to the hope that these discoveries can be harnessed in medical practicetocurechronicdisablingdiseases. The use of tissue-resident adult stem cells depends on the ability to either mobilize them or to convert them from one lineage to another. These problems do not arise with embryonic stem cells. Instead, their useisfraughtwithethicalandpoliticalissuesaswellasthequestionof howtodirecttheirdifferentiationtowardthedesiredcelltype.Whichever approachistaken,issuesofsafetyhavetobeparamount.Inparticular,the roleofstemcellsintumorigenesisiscriticalinassessingtheirpotential clinicalutility. The Ernst Schering Research Foundation and the Riken Center on DevelopmentalBiologyjointlyorganizedaworkshopon"ThePromises andChallengesofRegenerativeMedicine,"whichtookplaceinKobe, Japan on 20-22 October 2004. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss the present state of knowledge and future directions in this important ?eld. Leading basic scientists and clinicians reviewed and discussedseveraltimelytopicswithinthreemainthemes:(1)evolution, development,andregeneration,includingstemcellsinPlanariaandstem cell niches; (2)embryonic and adult stem cells, including adiscussion of the regulatory system in Japan for human embryonic stem cells; and (3) regeneration in speci?c indications including a discussion of the role of stem cells in organs such as the skin, brain, liver, pancreas, cornea,andthecardiovascularsystem.Inaddition,theroleofstemcells in glioblastoma was presented along with the implications for other tumors.

Hepatobiliary cancer refers to primary malignant tumors originating in cells of the liver, bile ducts, and gallbladder. Globally, primary liver cancer, which includes hepatocellular carcinoma (~75 % of all cases) and intrahepatic biliary cancer or cholangiocarcinoma (~10-15 % 0f all cases) is the 6th most commonly diagnosed cancer and 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. The vast majority of these highly malignant cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage where treatment options are limited and patient survival outcomes are poor. The biological and therapeutic challenges posed by hepatobililiary cancers such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) are daunting, emphasizing a critical need to review and assess current and evolving basic, translational, and clinical research focused on addressing the critical obstacles that continue to limit progress towards achieving significant improvements in HCC and CCA clinical management and patient survival outcomes. Towards this goal, this special edition of Advances in Cancer Research is focused on providing a comprehensive, timely and authoritative reviews covering such topics of significant scientific and clinical relevance, including hepatobiliary cancer risk mechanisms and risk-predictive molecular biomarkers; causes and functional intricacies of inter- and intratumor heterogeneity; novel insights into the role of tumor microenvironment and key signaling pathways in promoting hepatobiliary cancer progression, therapeutic resistance and immunosuppression; emerging biomarkers of HCC and CCA prognosis; advances in molecular genomics for personalizing tumor classification and targeted therapies; innovative preclinical cell culture modeling for hepatobiliary cancer drug discovery; and current and emerging trends in hepatobiliary cancer molecular therapeutic targeting and immunotherapies.

There has been an enormous advance in our understanding of the regulation of the cell division cycle in the last five years. The leap in understanding has centered on the cell cycle control protein p34cdc2 and its congeners and on the cyclins. The most important insight to emerge has been that cell cycle control mechanisms and their participating proteins are very well-conserved through evolution. This has created a spectacular growth in knowledge as data from one organism have been readily applied to another. In this volume, there are sea urchin and frog eggs, as well as mammalian cells and yeast. There is also an illustration of how fruitful the genetic approach can be in other organisms than yeast with a chapter on "Aspergillus nidulans."
The cell cycle kinase has been well-characterized and has also been well-exposed in numerous proceedings volumes and collections. In this issue of Advances in Molecular Cell Biology, the cell cycle kinase is ever present, but in the early chapters it has a supporting role. Center stage are the regulatory mechanisms that control the kinase. The contribution that the centrosome (the organelle of cell division) makes to cell cycle regulation are described. The part played by calcium and calcium-controlled regulatory proteins is emphasized. The importance of phosphatase as well as kinase activity to cell cycle regulation is stressed. The last words are reserved for the mitotic kinase: the last chapters describe its effects and its regulation in cell-free systems.

This book encompasses the exciting developments and challenges in the fast-moving and rapidly expanding research field of single-molecule kinetic analysis of cell signaling that promises to be one of the most significant and exciting areas of biological research for the foreseeable future. Cell signaling is carried out by complicated reaction networks of macromolecules, and single-molecule analyses has already demonstrated its power to unravel complex reaction dynamics in purified systems. To date, most of the published research in the field of single-molecule processes in cells, focus on the dynamic properties (translational movements of the centre of mass) of biological molecules. However, we hope that this book presents as many kinetic analyses of cell signaling as possible. Although single-molecule kinetic analysis of cellular systems is a relatively young field when compared with the analysis of single-molecule movements in cells, this type of analysis is highly important because it directly relates to the molecular functions that control cellular behavior and in the future, single-molecule kinetic analysis will be largely directed towards cellular systems. Thus, we hope that this book will be of interest to all those working in the fields of molecular and cell biology, as well as biophysics and biochemistry.

A wide-ranging collection of readily reproducible methods for performing nuclear reprogramming by nuclear transfer in several different species, by fusion through both chemical treatment and electrically shocking cells, and by in vivo treatment of cells with cell extracts. Several methods of monitoring nuclear reprogramming are also presented, including the use of transgenic markers, activation of telomerase as an ES-specific marker, light and electron microscopic observation of structural changes in the nucleus, and verification of surface marker expression and the differentiation potential of stem cells. Biochemical methods are provided for the examination of chromatin protein modifications, nucleosomal footprinting, transcription factor binding, and the study of DNA methylation changes both at the specific locus level and at the level of the whole nucleus.

A collection of classic, novel, and state-of-the-art methods for the study of cell migration in cultured cells, different model organisms, and specialized cells in normal development and disease. Highlights include basic assays that apply to all cell migration studies in vitro, assays in various model organisms, and assays for cancer cells, endothelial cells, and neurons both in vitro and in animal models. The protocols follow the successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, each offering step-by-step laboratory instructions, an introduction outlining the principle behind the technique, lists of the necessary equipment and reagents, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Cell Imaging is rapidly evolving as new technologies and new imaging advances continue to be introduced. In the second edition of Cell Imaging Techniques: Methods and Protocols expands upon the previous editions with current techniques that includes confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and laser microdissection. With new chapters covering colocalization analysis of fluorescent probes, correlative light and electron microscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy, light sheet microscopy, intravital microscopy, high throughput microscopy, and stereological techniques. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) 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, Cell Imaging Techniques: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition is an easily accessible volume of protocols to be used with a variety of imaging-based equipment likely available in a core imaging facility.

Nanomedicine is the field of science that deals with organic applications of medicine at the nano-scale level. It primarily addresses finding, anticipating, and treating sickness, as well as using nanotechnology to assist in controlling human frameworks at the cellular level. The nature of nanotechnology allows it to address numerous medical issues in humans. This book offers comprehensive information to better comprehend and apply multifunctional nanoparticles in nanomedicine, and thus open avenues in the field. Medicating at the nanolevel is an exceptional therapeutic avenue, as it avoids symptoms associated with conventional medicines. This book investigates recent insights into structuring novel drug delivery frameworks. It concentrates on the physical characteristics of drug delivery transporters, and the preliminary procedures involved in their use. The book offers in-depth detail that benefits academics and researchers alike, containing broad research from experts in the field, and serves as a guide for students and researchers in the field of nanomedicine, drug delivery, and nanotechnology.

This book presents a comprehensive review of various aspects of the novel and rapidly developing field of active matter, which encompasses a wide variety of self-organized self-driven energy-consuming media or agents. Most naturally occurring examples are of biological origin, spanning all scales from intracellular structures to swimming and crawling cells and microorganisms, to living tissues, bacterial colonies and flocks of birds. But the field also encompasses artificial systems, from colloids to soft robots. Intrinsically out of equilibrium and free of constraints of time-reversal symmetry, such systems display a range of surprising and unusual behaviors. In this book, the author emphasizes connections between fluid-mechanical, material, biological and technological aspects of active matter. He employs a minimum of mathematical tools, ensuring that the presentation is accessible to a wider scientific community. Richly illustrated, it gives the reader a clear picture of this fascinating field, its diverse phenomena and its open questions.