This book provides a comprehensive overview of the role of neuroglia in neurodegenerative diseases. Neuroglia are the most abundant cells in the nervous system and consist of several distinct cell types, such as astrocytes, oligodendrocytes,and microglia. Accumulating evidence suggests that neuroglia participate in the neurodegenerative process, and as such are essential players in a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's. Intended for researchers and students, the book presents recent advances concerning the biology of neuroglia as well as their interaction with neurons during disease progression. In addition, to highlight the function of neuroglia in different types of neurodegenerative disease, it also discusses their mechanisms and effects on protecting or damaging neurons.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the role of neuroglia in neurodegenerative diseases. Neuroglia are the most abundant cells in the nervous system and consist of several distinct cell types, such as astrocytes, oligodendrocytes,and microglia. Accumulating evidence suggests that neuroglia participate in the neurodegenerative process, and as such are essential players in a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's. Intended for researchers and students, the book presents recent advances concerning the biology of neuroglia as well as their interaction with neurons during disease progression. In addition, to highlight the function of neuroglia in different types of neurodegenerative disease, it also discusses their mechanisms and effects on protecting or damaging neurons.

The volume provides an overview of the current status of exocytosis and to define future goals.

Exocytosis, a universal process of eukaryotic cells, consisting of the fusion between the vesicle and the plasma membrane is an important topic in cell biology, physiology, biophysics, biochemistry and many other disciplines. The understanding of this rather complex process is essential for the understanding of normal function of unicellular and multicellular organisms from animal to plant kingdoms and in pathological conditions as well. During the last three decades a rapid increase in the number of research papers addressing this topic have been published.

The development of our understanding of exocytosis spans the initial evidences that "something is being released" from cells to the description of extensive physiological, biophysical, molecular and genetic properties of the process. A list of key proteins involved in exocytosis in a number of cell types has been identified, but work is still being done to come to a consensus about a mechanism or mechanisms that describe the interplay of key players in functional terms.

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Noradrenergic Signaling and Astroglia integrates what is known about the active role of astroglia in the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system and outlines the most recent advances in the field. It discusses the molecular mechanisms underlying norepinephrine-induced receptor activation in astroglia, cellular metabolism and CNS energy provision, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models, gliosignalling and neuronal activity, and astroglial networks, gap junctions, and morphological plasticity. The book also addresses the role of astroglial adrenergic receptor activation in memory formation, cognition, regulation of sleep homeostasis, and lastly in neurological disorders, including trauma (cellular edema), neurodegeneration (Alzheimer's disease), and neuroinflammation (multiple sclerosis). Noradrenergic Signaling and Astroglia is a valuable source of new knowledge for a wide audience, including graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and researchers in neuroscience, life sciences, and the biological and biomedical sciences.