Molecular Beacons explains working principle of molecular beacons, discusses their design, synthesis, purification and characterization, explores their thermodynamic and kinetic properties, and more importantly, reviews their in vivo and in vitro applications with the emphasis on the design and modification of molecular beacons for in vivo mRNA imaging applications. This book is designed to bring together in a single resource an organized and comprehensive view of molecular beacons and will be a valuable resource for academic, clinical and industrial scientists and graduate students who may consider exploring molecular beacons in their research or practice. Chaoyong James Yang is the Lu Jiaxi Professor of Chemistry at Xiamen University, China. Weihong Tan is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at Hunan University, China and also a University of Florida Distinguished Professor and V. T. and Louis Jackson Professor of Chemistry at the University of Florida, USA.

1. Multicenter Clinical Sample Collection for Microarray Analysis Tony S. Mondala, Daniel R. Salomon, and Steven R. Head 2. Selective Isolation of Total RNA from Mouse Melanoma Subsets Using Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting Scott Tighe and Matthew A. Held 3. Microarray Analysis of Embryonic Stem Cells and Differentiated Embryoid Bodies Alexander C. Zambon and Christopher S. Barker 4. Determination of Alternate Splicing Events Using the Affymetrix Exon 1.0 ST Arrays Sita Subbaram, Marcy Kuentzel, David Frank, C. Michael DiPersio, and Sridar V. Chittur 5. Profiling microRNA Expression with the Illumina BeadChip Platform Julissa Tsao, Patrick Yau, and Neil Winegarden 6. TaqMan(R) Array Cards in Pharmaceutical Research David N. Keys, Janice K. Au-Young, and Richard A. Fekete 7. DMET(TM) Microarray Technology for Pharmacogenomics-Based Personalized Medicine James K. Burmester, Marina Sedova, Michael H. Shapero, and Elaine Mansfield 8. The Use of Microarray Technology for Cytogenetics Bassem A. Bejjani, Lisa G. Shaffer, and Blake C. Ballif 9. PCR/LDR/Universal Array Platforms for the Diagnosis of Infectious Disease Maneesh Pingle, Mark Rundell, Sanchita Das, Linnie M. Golightly, and Francis Barany 10. RIP-CHIP in Drug Development Ritu Jain, Francis Doyle, Ajish D. George, Marcy Kuentzel, David Frank, Sridar V. Chittur, and Scott A. Tenenbaum 11. ChIPing Away At Global Transcriptional Regulation Kelly Jackson, James Paris, and Mark Takahashi 12. HELP (HpaII Tiny Fragment Enrichment by Ligation-Mediated PCR) Assay for DNA Methylation Profiling of Primary Normal and Malignant B Lymphocytes Rita Shaknovich, Maria E. Figueroa, and Ari Melnick 13. High-Throughput Screening of Metalloproteases Using SmallMolecule Microarrays Mahesh Uttamchandani 14. Metabolic Enzyme Microarray Coupled with Miniaturized Cell-Culture Array Technology for High-Throughput Toxicity Screening Moo-Yeal Lee, Jonathan S. Dordick, and Douglas S. Clark 15. Use of Tissue Microarray to Facilitate Oncology Research Panagiotis Gouveris, Paul M. Weinberger, and Amanda Psyrri 16. Small Molecule Selectivity and Specificity Profiling Using Functional Protein Microarrays Peter R. Kraus, Lihao Meng, and Lisa Freeman-Cook 17. Production and Application of Glycan Microarrays Julia Busch, Ryan McBride, and Steven R. Head

This book describes those psychological features specifically characteristic of patients with congenital heart disease, from birth to adulthood. The combination of case studies, descriptions of life experiences and psychological recommendations and collaboration with non-profit organizations in the field ensure that it will serve as an excellent day-to-day learning tool. Technological advances in cardiology and cardiac surgery have resulted in an increase in the number of adults with congenital heart disease, creating a new emergency. From when they are born, these patients and their relatives require extensive support for many reasons, including the uncertainty and restrictions in their lives, frequent hospitalizations and difficulties in the work and social spheres. Clinical Psychology and Congenital Heart Disease explains how psychology can contribute to healthcare treatment of patients with congenital heart disease and their families. Emphasis is placed on the need for a multidisciplinary approach to ensure the well-being of the patient and the clinician is provided with insights and instruments that will assist greatly in the provision of appropriate support.

ss-barrel outer membrane channel proteins (OMP) are useful as robust and flexible models or components in nanotechnology. Over the last decade biotechnological techniques allowed to expand the natural characteristics of OMPs by modifying their geometry and properties. The present book is oriented towards a broad group of readers including graduate students and advanced researchers. It gives a general introduction to the field of OMP based nano-component development as well as the state of the art of the involved research. On the example of the E. coli FhuA the transformation of an OMP into a tailored nano-channel will be outlined. An exhaustive description of the scientific strategy, including protein selection, analytical methods and "in-silico" tools to support the planning of protein modifications for a targeted application, consideration on the production of a custom made OMP, and an overview on technological applications including membrane/polymersome technology, will be provided.

The availability of powerful genome-wide association study technology, during the last five years, has shown that most of the "new" MS susceptibility loci are immune-response genes. It is clear that there is much novelty in the field of MS immunology, which has served as an impetus to invest in new therapies. Notably, most if not all of these are immunotherapies. Even the equally exciting field of cell-based therapies and neuro-regeneration may well rely on cells or growth factors that are no less immunomodulators than restorative of myelin and neural cell function. Multiple Sclerosis Immunology looks at MS immunology as the basis for the present and-even more-the future of treatments for this complex autoimmune condition. Both editors are immunologists, as well as clinical neurologists, and appreciate the importance of a sustained dialogue between basic and clinical scientists to ensure that "translation" is real and not just virtual.

Microbial relationships with all life forms can be as free living, symbiotic or pathogenic. Human beings harbor 10 times more microbial cells than their own. Bacteria are found on the skin surface, in the gut and other body parts. Bacteria causing diseases are the most worrisome. Most of the infectious diseases are caused by bacterial pathogens with an ability to form biofilm. Bacteria within the biofilm are up to 1000 times more resistant to antibiotics. This has taken a more serious turn with the evolution of multiple drug resistant bacteria. Health Departments are making efforts to reduce high mortality and morbidity in man caused by them. Bacterial Quorum sensing (QS), a cell density dependent phenomenon is responsible for a wide range of expressions such as pathogenesis, biofilm formation, competence, sporulation, nitrogen fixation, etc. Majority of these organisms that are important for medical, agriculture, aquaculture, water treatment and remediation, archaeological departments are: Aeromonas, Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Clostridia, Enterococcus, Pseudomonas, Vibrio and Yersinia spp. Biosensors and models have been developed to detect QS systems. Strategies for inhibiting QS system through natural and synthetic compounds have been presented here. The biotechnological applications of QS inhibitors (QSIs) in diverse areas have also been dealt with. Although QSIs do not affect growth and are less likely to impose selective pressure on bacteria, however, a few reports have raised doubts on the fate of QSIs. This book addresses a few questions. Will bacteria develop mechanisms to evade QSIs? Are we watching yet another defeat at the hands of bacteria? Or will we be acting intelligently and survive the onslaughts of this Never Ending battle?

In theoretical terms, sex differences in brains and behaviors of laboratory animals offer the possibility of fascinating scientific studies on a range of molecular phenomena such as genomic imprinting, DNA methylation, chromatin protein modification, non-coding DNA, potentially resulting in important neuroanatomical and neurochemical sex differences in the brain. Such sex differences could arise consequent to exposures to testosterone early in development, or to other effects deriving from the Y chromosome. However, this general subject has been treated with much hyperbole. Historically, sex differences were assumed to be present where they did not really exist, e.g. with respect to mathematics, executive leadership, etc. etc. Under what circumstances do we really care about sex differences in brain and behavior? These circumstances concern human maladies whose diagnoses are much different between boys and girls, or between women and men. Prominent examples discussed in this volume include autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. In fact, infant boys are more susceptible than infant girls to a variety of disorders that arise early in development. This volume then ends with a consideration of effects of estrogenic hormones on the injured brain, and their roles as protective agents.

Research in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), together known as the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), has truly seen a revolution in the last 5-10 years. This book examines how these genetic discoveries have led to the identification of biological functions not previously associated with IBD pathophysiology (e.g. autophagy), how multiple genetic risk factors for IBD converge on given biological functions and that together the identified variants in these genes have predisposing and protective roles (e.g. the multiple variants in the receptor for the IL23 cytokine and its signaling cascade), and how having such a large number of known genetic risk factors has changed our understanding not only about the genetic and molecular overlap between CD and UC, but also between these diseases and other chronic inflammatory diseases (e.g. psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes and many others).

Arabidopsis Protocols, Third Edition compiles some of the most recent methodologies developed to exploit the Arabidopsis genome. These methodologies cover from the guided access to public resources, to genetic, cell biology, biochemical and physiological techniques, including both those that are widely used as well as those novel techniques likely to open up new avenues of knowledge in the future. In addition, considering the recent unparalleled progress of the "omics" tools in Arabidopsis, leading experts have contributed sections on genome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and other whole-system approaches. Arabidopsis thaliana is acknowledged as the most important plant model system by the scientific community and Arabidopsis research has fundamentally influenced our understanding of the basic biology and ecology of plants. Written in the 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 protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Arabidopsis Protocols, Third Edition seeks to serve both experienced researchers and beginners with its detailed methodologies on this burgeoning scientific field.

Innate DNA and RNA Recognition: Method and Protocols presents validated experimental strategies to dissect nucleic acid sensing in-vitro and in-vivo sources. 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 practical, Innate DNA and RNA Recognition: Method and Protocols provides a resource for immunologists, molecular biologists, virologists, microbiologists and researchers studying how the innate immune system handles nucleic acids from endogenous or foreign sources.

Recent developments in microarray technology have changed the landscape of biology and biomedical research, and they have revolutionized RNA and DNA research. In Biological Microarrays: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers explore exciting new developments in the field, providing a comprehensive approach to biological microarrays that conveys not only the state-of-the-art fundamentals, but also includes applications of the most innovative methods. Chapters address both the application of biological microarrays, including DNA/RNA, apatmer, proteins, tissues, oligonucleotides, carbohydrates, biomaterials, cells, bacteria, and virus microarrays, and also explore the different techniques used for generating microarray platforms. Composed in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, each chapter contains a brief introduction, step-by-step methods, a list of necessary materials, and a Notes section which shares tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Wide-ranging and revolutionary, Biological Microarrays: Methods and Protocols serves as a primary source for academics, practitioners, and professionals in related fields, including biologists, biotechnologists, biochemists, analytical chemists, and biomedical, physical, and microsystems engineers, to name a few, appealing to all of those interested in the present and future state of biological microarray research.

Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) belongs to that special category of well-established molecular biology techniques that, since their inception a few decades ago, have succeeded in keeping a prominent position within the constantly expanding list of laboratory pro- dures for biomedical research and clinical diagnostics. The design simplicity and cost-effectiveness of the early FISH protocols, combined with the signifcant acceleration of discoveries in related technical areas such as fuor- cence microscopy, digital imaging, and nucleic acid technology have prompted the div- sifcation of the original technique into an outstanding number of imaginative and useful applications, and thus have not only held back its outmoding but have also promoted its expansion into different areas of basic and applied research in the post-genomic era. The 34 chapters included in this book aim at portraying the vibrant complexity and diversity of the current FISH protocol landscape, providing cutting-edge examples of va- ous applications for genetic and developmental research, cancer research, reproductive medicine, diagnostic and prognostic purposes, microbial ecology, and evolutionary st- ies. The book is divided in four parts: (I) Core Techniques, (II) Technical Advancements and Novel Adaptations, (III) Translational FISH: Applications for Human Genetics and Medicine, and (IV) Protocols for Model Organisms.

Yeast Metabolic Engineering: Methods and Protocols provides the widely established basic tools used in yeast metabolic engineering, while describing in deeper detail novel and innovative methods that have valuable potential to improve metabolic engineering strategies in industrial biotechnology applications. Beginning with an extensive section on molecular tools and technology for yeast engineering, this detailed volume is not limited to methods for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but describes tools and protocols for engineering other yeasts of biotechnological interest, such as Pichia pastoris, Hansenula polymorpha and Zygosaccharomyces bailii. Tools and technologies for the investigation and determination of yeast metabolic features are described in detail as well as metabolic models and their application for yeast metabolic engineering, while a chapter describing patenting and regulations with a special glance at yeast biotechnology closes the volume. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, most chapters include an introduction to their respective topic, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and authoritative, Yeast Metabolic Engineering: Methods and Protocols aims to familiarize researchers with the current state of these vital and increasingly useful technologies.

Plants are amazing organisms to study, some are important sources for pharmaceuticals, and others can help to elucidate molecular mechanisms required for a plant's development and its interactions with the biotic or abiotic environment. Functional genomics is vastly lagging behind the speed of genome sequencing as high-throughput gene function assays are difficult to design, specifically for non-model plants. Bioinformatics tools are useful for gene identification and annotation but are of limited value for predictions concerning gene functions as gene functions are uncovered best by experimental approaches. Virus-Induced-Gene-Silencing (VIGS) is an easy to use, fast, and reliable method to achieve down regulation of target gene expression. Virus-Induced Gene Silencing: Methods and Protocols provides detailed protocols for VIGS experiments in several plant species including model and non-model plants. Also included in this book are recently developed protocols for VIGS-derived microRNA production in the plant or protein over expression, as well as chapters devoted to summarizing the molecular mechanisms of VIGS action and the vector systems developed so far. Written in the 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 protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Virus-Induced Gene Silencing: Methods and Protocols serves as a valuable resource for researchers from diverse fields of plant biology interested in experimental approaches to analyzing gene functions.

This volume provides a comprehensive collection of protocols on new technology across various model organisms. Chapters describe species-specific methods to generate new mutants the content is completed by chapters on natural TAL effectors, TAL element DNA binding principles, TALEN target site prediction, and methods for the efficient construction of TALEN coding regions. While addition chapter focus on the application of TALEN as sequence-specific nucleases and TAL based gene activators or inhibitors and the visualization of chromatin dynamics in live cells. 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, TALENs: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

Myc controls multiple cellular functions, including cell proliferation, growth, differentiation and death, both directly and indirectly, through its modulation of downstream transcriptional programs. In The Myc Gene: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field summarize the standard and novel techniques that allow the studying of Myc mechanism of action in normal and cancer cells, in vitro and in vivo, in one succinct manual. 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 key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

The discovery of wide-spread RNA-based regulation in bacteria has led to new evaluations of the importance of bacterial regulatory RNA in every aspect of bacterial physiology. In Bacteria Regulatory RNA: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field detail many of the methods which are now commonly used to study bacterial regulatory RNA. These include methods and techniques to identify regulatory RNAs, characterizing the function and expression of regulatory RNAs in bacterial cells, RNA structure prediction, and interactions between regulatory RNAs and proteins. 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 key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Bacteria Regulatory RNA: Methods and Protocols seeks to aid scientists in the further study of bacterial regulatory RNA.

Today, progress in rAAV-mediated gene transfer is so robust that long-term, efficient, and regulatable transgene expression is reproducibly achieved in large animal models. The complexity of gene transfer agents in the context of their clinical use requires investigators from a wide variety of backgrounds to have an understanding - or at least an appreciation of - the regulatory environment and constraints that affect vector design, manufacturing, pre-clinical testing, and clinical use, with an emphasis on patient protection. In Adeno-Associated Virus: Methods and Protocols, experts from the United States and Europe have contributed current knowledge of this multi-dimensional field relating to the biology of AAV, rAAV vector design, vector manufacturing and product testing, performance of rAAV vectors in major organs, rAAV-related immunological issues, design of animal and clinical studies, and clinical experience. Written in the 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 protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and accessible, Adeno-Associated Virus: Methods and Protocols provides a complete and comprehensive understanding of this multi-disciplinary and rapidly progressing field.

In the past four years, many genetic loci have been implicated for BMI from the outcomes of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), primarily in adults. Insulin-induced gene 2 (INSIG2) was the first locus to be reported by this method to have a role in obesity but replication attempts have yielded inconsistent outcomes. The identification of the second locus, the fat mass- and obesity-associated gene (FTO), h has been more robustly observed by others. Studies from both FTO knock out and FTO overexpression mouse model support the fact that FTO is directly involved in the regulation of energy intake and metabolism in mice, where the lack of FTO expression leads to leanness while enhanced expression of FTO leads to obesity. Along with numerous other studies, a number of genetic variants have been established robustly in the context of obesity, giving us fresh insights into the pathogenesis of the disease. This book will give a comprehensive overview of efforts aimed at uncovering genetic variants associated with obesity, which have been particularly successful in the past 5 years with the advent of genome-wide association studies (GWAS). This book will cover this state of the art technology and its application to obesity in great detail. Topics covered will include genetics of childhood obesity, genetics of syndromic obesity, copy number variants and extreme obesity, co-morbidities of obesity genetics, and functional follow-up of genetic variants.

This book gives an overview of the current knowledge on the most common neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and additional neurodegenerative diseases. Different aspects of each disease are reviewed, including clinical issues, treatments, basic discoveries (genetics and molecular biology), and translation of basic research into biomarkers for early diagnosis. In addition, emerging data indicate that neurodegeneration seems to also be present in classically non-degenerative disorders. Therefore, a chapter about overlapping mechanisms between dementias and psychiatric disorders is included, as well as a description of the role of neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis. Neurodegenerative Diseases is aimed at clinicians, particularly those working in academic hospitals. This multidisciplinary book will also be of interest to basic researchers in medical fields.

Chromatin is of central importance to gene regulation in eukaryotes. Reflecting this singular role for chromatin, numerous approaches have evolved in the laboratory over the past three decades to study chromatin structure and its alterations. Methods of investigating chromatin remodeling, whether in changes in nucleosome structure or position with respect to the incorporated DNA or in histone modifications, have progressed rapidly over the recent years. In Chromatin Remodeling: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers contribute chapters which include methods for investigating chromatin remodeling in vitro and in vivo, in yeast, plants, and mammalian cells, and at local and global levels. Both gene-specific and genome-wide approaches are covered, and in recognition of the increasing prevalence of the latter type of study, the final two chapters focus on bioinformatic/computational approaches to analyzing genome-wide data on chromatin structure. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, the 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 essential, Chromatin Remodeling: Methods and Protocols serves as a key source of clear techniques as well as a collection of chapters that can inspire future techniques in this vital field of study.

Central to the synthesis of proteins, the performance of catalysis, and many other physiological processes, the aberrant expression of which can be linked to human diseases including cancers, RNA has proven to be key target for therapeutics as well as a tool for therapy. In RNA Therapeutics: Function, Design, and Delivery, expert contributors from a broad spectrum of scientific backgrounds highlight the roles that messenger RNAs and small RNAs can play in biology and medicine. While covering the five major RNA-based drugs, namely the use of ribozymes to cleave and/or correct mRNA transcript, the use of siRNA for targeted silencing of gene transcripts, the use of aptamers, like short RNA molecules, for neutralizing the protein functions, the use mRNA-transfected DCs to activate immune system against tumor cells, as well as the use of RNA to reprogram T and/or DC cell function, this extensive volume brings together the fields of coding (mRNA) and non-coding RNA such as ribozymes, RNAse P, siRNAs, and miRNAs into one convenient source. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, the cutting-edge protocol chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and practical tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Also, the book contains several excellent reviews for teaching purposes. Authoritative and comprehensive, RNA Therapeutics: Function, Design, and Delivery provides key models and tools which will assist researchers in increasing our understanding of RNA functions, modifications, and their involvement in diseases in order to lead to the design of vital new RNA-based therapeutics.

Stem cells appear to be fundamental cellular units associated with the origin of multicellular organisms and have evolved to function in safeguarding the cellular homeostasis in organ t- sues. The characteristics of stem cells that distinguish them from other cells have been the fascinating subjects of stem cell research. The important properties of stem cells, such as ma- tenance of quiescence, self-renewal capacity, and differentiation potential, have propelled this exciting ?eld and presently form a common theme of research in developmental biology and medicine. The derivation of pluripotent embryonic stem cells, the prospective identi?cation of multipotent adult stem cells, and, more recently, the induced pluripotent stem cells (popularly called iPS) are important milestones in the arena of stem cell biology. Complex networks of transcription factors, different signaling molecules, and the interaction of genetic and epi- netic events constantly modulate stem cell behavior to evoke programming and reprogramming processes in normal tissue homeostasis during development. In any given cellular scenario, the regulatory networks can pose considerable complexity and yet exert an orderly control of stem cell differentiation during normal development. An aberration in these ?nely tuned processes during development usually results in a spectrum of diseases such as cancers and neurological disorders. Thisunderscorestheimminentneedforamorecompleteunderstandingofmolecular mechanisms underlying the regulatory circuitries required for stem cell maintenance. Overthepast3-5years,adiversegroupofbenchandphysicianscientistshaveprospectively enhanced our knowledge of stem cell biology. These studies are unveiling many unrecognized or previously unknown fundamentals of developmental biology.

Recent advances in organic chemistry, fluorescent microscopy, and materials science have created an entirely new range of techniques and probes for imaging DNA damage in molecular and cellular biology. In DNA Damage Detection In Situ, Ex Vivo, and In Vivo: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers explore the latest advances in the area, covering both recent and established techniques to detect and quantify DNA damage at scales ranging from subcellular to the level of a whole live organism. Chapters present all major assays used in molecular and cellular biology for the labeling of DNA damage in situ, ex vivo, and in vivo. Composed in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, each chapter contains a brief introduction, step-by-step methods, a list of necessary materials, and a Notes section which shares tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and current, DNA Damage Detection In Situ, Ex Vivo, and In Vivo: Methods and Protocols is an essential handbook for novice and experienced researchers in a variety of fields, including molecular and cellular biology, experimental and clinical pathology, toxicology, radiobiology, oncology, embryology, experimental pharmacology, drug design, and environmental science.

Since the discovery of microRNAs, developmental biologists have striven to understand the role of miRNAs in development and disease. MicroRNAs in Development: Methods and Protocols collects contributions from expert researchers in order to provide practical guidelines to this complex study. Divided into three convenient sections, this detailed volume covers various techniques to detect and profile miRNA expression, followed by protocols to manipulate the activity of miRNAs in various organisms, and it concludes with a section that outlines different methods to identify and validate miRNA targets in animals and plants. 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 accessible, MicroRNAs in Development: Methods and Protocols serves as a practical guide for scientists of all backgrounds and conveys the appropriate sense of fascination associated with this vital field of research.