This volume gives a comprehensive insight into established and novel methods to analyze the structure and function of lipid rafts. This book covers topics such as isolation of lipid rafts and their functional analysis using biochemical methods; visualization of lipid rafts and their interaction with proteins using fluorescence-related methods; preparation of giant lipid vesicles and fluorescence spectroscopy; FRET and FRAP; and using photo-activated cross-linking of a ceramide analog combined with proximity ligation assay. 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. Thorough and cutting-edge, Lipid Rafts: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for both novice and expert researchers interested in learning more about the function of lipid rafts in many areas of cell biology and medicine.

In this book, renowned scientists describe how cholesterol interacts with various proteins. Recent progress made in the high-resolution visualization of cholesterol-protein interactions using crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy has substantially advanced the knowledge of critical features. These features enable specific recognition of the cholesterol molecule by proteins, a process that was built on earlier studies using binding assays, computational modeling and site-directed mutagenesis. Direct Mechanisms in Cholesterol Modulation of Protein Function offers comprehensive insights into the current understanding of cholesterol-driven modulation of protein function via direct sensing. Its nine chapters are organized into two distinct parts. In the first part, the chapters introduce the reader to the general characteristics of cholesterol binding sites in proteins. This part starts with a tour into common cholesterol recognition motifs, followed by an overview of the major classes of steroid-binding proteins. It then continues with two chapters that present a comprehensive analysis of molecular and structural characteristics of cholesterol binding sites in transmembrane and soluble protein domains. In the second part of the book, examples of cholesterol binding sites and consequences of specific cholesterol recognition for protein function are presented for G protein-coupled receptors, ion channels and cholesterol-transporting proteins. The book is valuable for undergraduate and graduate students in biochemistry and nutrition, as well as basic science and medical researchers with a keen interest in the biophysical properties of cholesterol and physiological consequences of cholesterol presence in biological systems.

The present book gives a multi-disciplinary perspective on the physics of life and the particular role played by lipids (fats) and the lipid-bilayer component of cell membranes. The emphasis is on the physical properties of lipid membranes seen as soft and molecularly structured interfaces. By combining and synthesizing insights obtained from a variety of recent studies, an attempt is made to clarify what membrane structure is and how it can be quantitatively described. Furthermore, it is shown how biological function mediated by membranes is controlled by lipid membrane structure and organization on length scales ranging from the size of the individual molecule, across molecular assemblies of proteins and lipid domains in the range of nanometers, to the size of whole cells. Applications of lipids in nanotechnology and biomedicine are also described. The first edition of the present book was published in 2005 when lipidomics was still very much an emerging science and lipids about to be recognized as being as important for life as proteins, sugars, and genes. This significantly expanded and revised edition takes into account the tremendous amount of knowledge gained over the past decade. In addition, the book now includes more tutorial material on the biochemistry of lipids and the principles of lipid self-assembly. The book is aimed at undergraduate students and young research workers within physics, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, nutrition, as well as pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. From the reviews of the first edition: "This is a highly interesting book and a pleasure to read. It represents a new and excellent pedagogical introduction to the field of lipids and the biophysics of biological membranes. I reckon that physicists and chemists as well as biologists will benefit from this approach to the field and Mouritsen shows a deep insight into the physical chemistry of lipids." (Goeran Lindblom, Chemistry and Physics of Lipids 2005, vol. 135, page 105-106) "The book takes the reader on an exciting journey through the lipid world, and Mouritsen attracts the attention with a lively style of writing ... . a comprehensive view of the 'lipid sea' can be easily achieved, gaining the right perspectives for envisaging future developments in the nascent field of lipidomics." (Carla Ferreri, ChemBioChem, Vol. 6 (8), 2005)

"Only once in a great while does a book come along that really does the job in addressing a major medical issue. When this happens, all can be joyful... Readers will find ALL their favorite dietary puzzlements dealt with... With consummate scholarship, clarity and brevity, Truswell sifts out the chaff and identifies the critical questions, the responsible investigators, and the key studies." So says Emeritus Professor Henry Blackburn from the University of Minnesota in the foreword to this remarkable concise book on the history of research on diet and heart disease. This was a theme of scientific, medical and public interest in the 20th Century, a century marked by the rise and fall of coronary heart disease as the major cause of death in the first world, followed by the rise of this cause of death in the developing world. There is obviously much to learn, and this book is an excellent starting point, tracing dietary factors and their role in heart disease one by one: fats, sugar, salt, alcohol, coffee, trans-fats, etc. Without an understanding of the role of diet and the changes that have been seen in the North American and NW European diet, the story of the decline in the heart disease death rate may have been very different.

Angiogenesis has recently played a critical role in regulation of adipose tissue expansion and regression. Like most other tissues in the body, adipose expansion and regression is accompanied by alteration of blood vessel density and structures. The vascular alteration plays an active role in regulation of adipose tissue size and functions. Targeting blood vessels in the adipose tissue have demonstrated to be a novel approach for possibly treatment of cancer, obesity and other metabolic diseases. This book provides the most updated information on this type research and discusses future opportunities for therapy..

Advances in Planar Lipid Bilayers and Liposomes volumes cover a broad range of topics, including main arrangements of the reconstituted system, namely planar lipid bilayers as well as spherical liposomes. The invited authors present the latest results of their own research groups in this exciting multidisciplinary field.
* Incorporates contributions from newcomers and established and experienced researchers
* Explores the planar lipid bilayer systems and spherical liposomes from both theoretical and experimental perspectives
* Serves as an indispensable source of information for new scientists

Steroid hormones secreted from peripheral reproductive endocrine tissues regulate many important physiological functions not only during development, but also into adulthood and play a key role in the growth, differentiation and function of reproductive tissues. In this book, the authors present current research in the study of the biosynthesis, functions and health implications of steroids. Topics include cytotoxic steroids and derivatives in the development of anticancer drugs; identifying steroid hormones in biological and environmental samples; steroid receptors involvement in the pathogenesis of abnormal ovarian follicular cysts; oestrogen treatment after menopause to protect against dementia and cognitive decline; the evolving role of steroids in immunosuppression and transplantation; nasal steroids in adenoidal hypertrophy; and cytogenetic damage following anabolic steroids exposure.

The scientific advances in the physiology and pathophysiology of adipose tissue over the last two decades have been considerable. Today, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of adipogenesis are well known. In addition, adipose tissue is now recognized as a real endocrine organ that produces hormones such as the leptin acting to regulate food intake and energy balance in the central nervous system, a finding that has completely revolutionized the paradigm of energy homeostasis. Other adipokines have now been described and these molecules are taking on increasing importance in physiology and pathophysiology. Moreover, numerous works have shown that in obesity, but also in cases of lipodystophy, adipose tissue was the site of a local low-grade inflammation that involves immune cells such as macrophages and certain populations of lymphocytes. This new information is an important step in the pathophysiology of both obesity and related metabolic and cardiovascular complications. Finally, it is a unique and original work focusing on adipose tissue, covering biology and pathology by investigating aspects of molecular and cellular biology, general, metabolic, genetic and genomic biochemistry.

"Advances in Planar Lipid Bilayers and Liposomes, " Volume 11 includes invited chapters on a broad range of topics, covering both of the main arrangements of the reconstituted system, namely planar lipid bilayers and spherical liposomes. The invited authors present the latest results of their own research groups in this exciting multidisciplinary field. This volume addresses the broader goal with both systems, planar lipid bilayers and spherical liposomes, which is the further development of this interdisciplinary field worldwide.
* Incorporates contributions from newcomers and established and experienced researchers
* Explores the planar lipid bilayer systems and spherical liposomes from both theoretical and experimental perspectives
* Serves as an indispensable source of information for new scientists

"Advances in Planar Lipid Bilayers and Liposomes, "Volume 10, continues to include invited chapters on a broad range of topics, covering the main arrangements of the reconstituted system, namely planar lipid bilayers and spherical liposomes. The invited authors present the latest results in this exciting multidisciplinary field of their own research group.
Many of the contributors working in both fields over many decades were in close collaboration with the late Prof. H. Ti Tien, the founding editor of this book series. There are also chapters written by some of the younger generation of scientists included in this series. This volume keeps in mind the broader goal with both systems, planar lipid bilayers and spherical liposomes, which is the further development of this interdisciplinary field worldwide.
* Incorporates contributions from newcomers and established and experienced researchers
* Explores the planar lipid bilayer systems and spherical liposomes from both theoretical and experimental perspectives
* Serves as an indispensable source of information for new scientists

"Advances in Planar Lipid Bilayers and Liposomes, " Volume 9, continues to include invited chapters on a broad range of topics, covering both main arrangements of the reconstituted system, namely planar lipid bilayers and spherical liposomes. The invited authors present the latest results in this exciting multidisciplinary field of their own research group.
Many of the contributors working in both fields over many decades were in close collaboration with the late Prof. H. Ti Tien, the founding editor of this book series. There are also chapters written by some of the younger generation of scientists included in this series. This volume keeps in mind the broader goal with both systems, planar lipid bilayers and spherical liposomes, which is the further development of this interdisciplinary field worldwide.
* Incorporates contributions from newcomers and established and experienced researchers
* Explores the planar lipid bilayer systems and spherical liposomes from both theoretical and experimental perspectives
* Serves as an indispensable source of information for new scientists

Glycolipids are carbohydrate-attached lipids. Their role is to provide energy and also serve as markers for cellular recognition. They occur where a carbohydrate chain is associated with phospholipids on the exoplasmic surface of the cell membrane. The carbohydrates are found on the outer surface of all eukaryotic cell membranes. They extend from the phospholipid bilayer into the aqueous environment outside the cell where it acts as a recognition site for specific chemicals as well as helping to maintain the stability of the membrane and attaching cells to one another to form tissues. This new book focuses on recent research results from around the world.

New research tools have revealed many surprising aspects of the dynamic nature of lipids and their participation in processes such as recognition, intra- and inter-cellular signalling, deterrence and defence against pathogens, membrane trafficking and protein function. This is in addition to new information on the more established roles of plant lipids as structural components of membranes and as long-term storage products. Plant lipids are also increasingly being seen as sources of a new generation of environmentally friendly, biodegradable and renewable industrial products, including biopolymers and high grade lubricants.

This volume provides a broad overview of plant lipid research and its many applications, linking the various disciplines and providing an interesting and wide-ranging perspective on this fast-moving field. Extensive lists of references are provided, totalling well over two thousand non-redundant citations and offering a point of entry to the detailed literature.

This is a book for researchers and professionals in plant biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology and genetics, in both the academic and industrial sectors.

The 15th International Symposium on Plant Lipids was held in Okazaki, Japan, in May 12th to 17th, 2002, at the Okazaki Conference Center. The Symposium was organized by the Japanese Organizing Committee with the cooperation of the Japanese Association of Plant Lipid Researchers. The International Symposium was successful with 225 participants from 29 countries. We acknowledge a large number of participants from Asian countries, in particular, from China, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines, presumably because this was the fIrst time that the International Symposium on Plant Lipids was held in Asia. We also acknowledge a number of scientists from Canada, France, Germany, UK and USA, where plant lipid research is traditionally very active. The Symposium provided an opportunity for presentation and discussion of 68 lectures and 93 posters in 11 scientific sessions, which together covered all aspects of plant lipid researches, such as the structure, analysis, biosynthesis, regulation, physiological function, environmental aspects, and the biotechnology of plant lipids. In memory of the founder of this series of symposia, the Terry Galliard Lecture was delivered by Professor Ernst Heinz from Universitat: Hamburg, Germany. In addition, special lectures were given by two outstanding scientists from animal lipid fields, Professor James Ntambi from University of Wisconsin, USA, and Dr. Masahiro Nishijima from the National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Japan. To our great honor and pleasure, the session of Lipid Biosynthesis was chaired by Dr.

Bioactive Carbohydrate Polymers is probably the first book dealing with the latest in the field of polysaccharides and related products and their biological activities, especially the immunological effects. The different chapters describe the structure and bioactivity of polysaccharides from plants used in traditional medicine in different parts of the world, especially China, Japan and Europe. The focus of the book is on immunologically active plant and seaweed polysaccharides, pharmacological activities of sulphated polysaccharides of animal and seaweed origin, and on possible activities of polysaccharides in our food. Methods for isolation and characterisation of the polymers with chemical and enzymatic methods is covered, as well as discussions on the different biological test-systems and the information they provide. This book will be useful to scientists and postgraduate students working with polysaccharides and their possible uses, and should be of interest for people working in the areas of chemistry, biology, pharmacy and medicine.

Fatty Acids is the latest supplement to McCance and Widdowson's The Composition of Foods and provides authoritative and evaluated data on 37 individual fatty acids for 522 foods consumed in the UK which are important sources of fat. The foods covered include cereals and cereal products, milk products and eggs, fats, oils, meat, poultry and meat products, fish and fish products, vegetables, herbs and spices, vegetable dishes, fruit, nuts, confectionery, preserves, snacks, beverages, soups and sauces. The fatty acid composition data are expressed in g per 100g of food in easy-to-read tables. The nutrient coverage includes total fat, total saturates, total cis and total trans mono- and polyunsaturates, with 13 individual saturated fatty acids, 14 monounsaturated fatty acids, 10 cis-polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols and cholesterol. The data in Fatty Acids are compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, primarily from analyses commissioned as part of their Nutrient Surveillance Programme. Fatty Acids provides an important addition to the official UK food tables and essential data for professionals in food science and nutrition.

This is the second volume in a series which presents the state of the art in chosen sectors of oil and fat chemistry, including its relevance to the food and pharmaceutical industries. The text in this book aims to provide an authoritative account of the use of a wide range of spectroscopic methods in the analysis of lipids, with an emphasis on topics that have attracted special attention.

This volume has been designed to offer a balanced account of the laboratory synthesis, industrial manufacture and biosynthesis of lipids. Authors describe the synthesis of all the major lipid classes, including new and revised procedures, and there are chapters devoted to the synthesis and manufacture of vitamin E, other natural antioxidants, sugar esters and ethers, and food surfactants. This authoritative work of reference has something for all lipid scientists and technologists. It is directed at chemists and technologists working in oils and fats processing, the food industry, the oleochemicals industry and the pharmaceutical industry; at analytical chemists and quality assurance personnel; and at lipid chemists in academic research laboratories.

The 12th International Symposium on Plant Lipids was held at the University of Toronto, Canada, from July 7th to 12th, 1996. The conference was attended by over 200 scientists from university, government and corporate laboratories from 24 different countries. The topics covered in the symposium ranged from basic physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology of plant lipids to transformation and genetic engineering of crop plants. Oil seed plants were a particular focus of the symposium. There were 62 oral and 96 posters presentations. A special lecture in memory of the founder of this series of symposium, Terry Galliard, was presented by John Shanklin. This Proceedings Book has been dedicated to Grattan Roughan for his important contributions to our knowledge of plant lipid metabolism. This volume contains manuscripts submitted from most of the presentations at the symposium. It provides a useful summary of the major fields of plant lipid studies and our present state of knowledge. The papers are arranged in eight sections covering the major areas in the field of plant physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology of plant lipids. We would like to thank Valerie Imperial, Rajesh Khetarpal and Mary Williams for their invaluable help in organizing and running the meetings and excursions. John P. Williams, Mobashsher U. Khan and Nora W. Lem Toronto, Canada, October 1996 xvii DEDICATION This volume is dedicated to Grattan Roughan.

This book provides a concise introduction to phospholipid chemistry and is intended for a broad audience of biologists, biochemists, and graduate students. Developed as part of a graduate course on lipids, this book also serves as a reference for laboratory investigators on signal transduction and biological membranes. The first part of the text is devoted to an orientation to the chemical nature of lipids in general, how they are thought to be associated in the cell, and the methodology by which the cellular lipids (including the phospholipids) can be recovered from cells and subjected to an initial identification. Subsequent chapters characterize the choline-containing phospholipids, including the sphingolipids, the non-choline containing phospholipids, and finally, the so-called minor phospholipids. The latter compounds, which act as agonists or lipid chemical mediators on cells, form a vanguard of a new category of biologically active substances and have set the study of cellular phospholipids on a new and exiting course. Most importantly, this book provides a basis for further inquiry on these complicated molecules, showing that although the compounds are unique, with care and understanding, they can be studied with ease

This volume on Phospholipases, the first of its kind, presents techniques for the assay, purification, and characterization of these enzymes, which are not only degradative enzymes of lipid metabolism but are also key enzymes in the signal transduction pathway.

One of the key challenges in biophysics and chemical biology is gaining an understanding of the underlying physico-chemical basis of the highly complex structure and properties of biomembranes. It used to be thought that the lipid component played a mainly passive role, simply acting as a self-assembled bilayer matrix within which the active protein components functioned. However, it has now become clear that there is a intimate two-way interplay between the lipid and the protein components in determining membrane structure, organization and dynamics, and that lipids play many active roles in biological function. Concepts such as lateral segregation and domain formation, lateral pressure, curvature and curvature elasticity have attracted enormous interest in recent years, although their validity when applied to real biomembranes remains unclear or even obscure. This Faraday Discussion considered recent developments in the study of biomembrane structure, ordering and dynamics, with particular emphasis on the roles of lipids in these phenomena. As well as discussing new experimental and theoretical findings and novel methodologies, the meeting focused on exploring the relevance of concepts from amphiphile self-assembly and soft matter physics to understanding biomembranes.

Inositol, in its native or lipid derived forms, serves as a master building block which, when phosphorylated, leads to the construction of more than 30 unique isomeric forms that are employed in vital but diverse regulatory roles in cells. In Inositol Phosphates and Lipids: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers introduce the basic methodological tools to measure inositol lipids and phosphates and also describe new approaches that have become available in the last 10 years, including RNA-silencing and the use of fluorescently labeled PH-domains to measure inositides in real-time in live cells, new sensitive methods to measure mass of both phosphates and lipids, as well as protocols involving inositol pyrophosphates. 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 notes sections, detailing tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and cutting-edge, Inositol Phosphates and Lipids: Methods and Protocols compiles many of the techniques that underscore phosphorylated inositol cell biology in one convenient guide.

"Handbook of Chromatography: Analysis of Lipids" provides a valuable review of state-of-the-art applications of chromatographic techniques (TLC, GC, HPLC) and other analytical techniques. Much of this volume is devoted to applications of HPLC (including supercritical fluid chromatography) in the analysis of lipids such as fatty acids, oxygenated fatty acids, enantiomeric acyl- and alkylglycerols, and lipoproteins. The handbook also provides extensive coverage of applications of combinations of various chromatographic techniques used in the analysis of ozonides, anacardic acids, glycerophospholipids, products of lipolysis, artifacts and contaminants in edible fats, acylated proteins, non-caloric lipids, lipophilic vitamins, acyl-Coenzyme A thioesters, dolichols, mycolic acids, technical fats and fat products, and liposomes.
"Handbook of Chromatography: Analysis of Lipids" will be a useful reference for oil chemists, biochemists, fat science technologists, and other scientists involved in lipid research.

Our brain is recognized by all specialists as the most complex entity created in nature. Regarding the extraordinary capacities of its functioning, still incompletely known, the control of the brain by our dietary lipids may seem very improbable to many people. Yet, research has shown that an imbalance in the intake of essential fatty acids is related to conditions as prevalent as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Research on psychological disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, aggressiveness and suicidal behavior are discussed in this text. Several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis are also explored. Several observations prove that not only are omega-3 fatty acids actively involved in maintaining the noble functions of our brain, but other lipids, including cholesterol, liposoluble vitamins (A, D and E) and some carotenoids play roles as well and are presented in this book. Dietary Lipids for Healthy Brain Function focuses on this important research for human health. This book brings readers, doctors, dietitians and nutritionists arguments that could improve brain development in young people, prevent many nervous diseases and slow down the age-related decline of higher brain functions. This book provides helpful information to improve health in the young as well in the old, using practical and personalized recommendations for preventing and treating nervous pathologies. Features: * Focuses on the importance of dietary lipids on the proper brain functioning. * Provides relevant references demonstrating the efficiency of dietary lipids to maintain a healthy brain. * Introduces lipid sources and describes their roles by lipid groups in behavior issues and various chronic nervous diseases.