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Elsevier Science

Advances in Developmental Biochemistry
1st Edition
Volume 4b
Paul Wassarman
English
Volume 4 of Advances in Developmental Biology and Biochemistry consists of five chapters that review specific aspects of sea urchin, fly, and mammalian development. In Chapter 1, A. Bejsovec and M. Peifer discuss the nature and role of the wingless/Wnt-1 signaling pathway in Drosophila, as well as in amphibia and mammals. In Chapter 2, C. Ettensohn and colleagues discuss cell interactions, cell fate specification, and morphogenesis in sea urchin embryos. In Chapter 3, E. Kubli discusses the nature and role of a Drosophila sex-peptide that serves as a pheromone involved in reproduction. In Chapter 4, T. Gridley discusses the expression and functions of several vertebrate homologs of the neurogenic genes of Drosophila. In Chapter 5, J. Pollard and R. Stanley discuss the pleiotropic roles for colony stimulating factor-1 in development as defined by the mouse mutation osteopetrotic.
Advances in Developmental Biology
1st Edition
Volume 4a
Paul Wassarman
English
Volume 4 of Advances in Developmental Biology and Biochemistry consists of five chapters that review specific aspects of fly and mammalian development. In Chapter 1, Y. Mishina and R. Behringer discuss various aspects of Müllerian-inhibiting substance (MIS) in mammals, from a brief history of its discovery to recent studies of the MIS gene in transgenic and knock-out animals. In Chapter 2, C. Rushlow and S. Roth discuss the role of the dpp-group genes in dorsoventral patterning of the Drosophila embryo. In Chapter 3, M. Yip and H. Lipshitz discuss the terminal (asegmental termini) gene hierarchy of Drosophila and the genetic control of tissue specification and morphogenesis. In Chapter 4, R. Bachvarova discusses induction of mesoderm and the origin of anterior-posterior polarity in the mouse embryo, using the frog embryo as a paradigm. In Chapter 5, P. Vogt discusses human Y chromosome function in male germ cell development.
Membrane Protein Transport
1st Edition
Volume 3
S.S. Rothman
English
This is the third volume in a series on membrane protein transfer. Membrane protein transport underlies the topological disposition of many proteins within cells and it is this disposition that allows for the co-ordination of the central cellular processes, such as metabolism.
Growth Factors, Part A
1st Edition
C. Bondy + 1 more
English
This series provides a variety of different discussions on topics within the field of growth factors and cytokines in health and disease.
Pregnancy and Parturition
1st Edition
Volume 1
T. Zakar
English
One of the mysteries of mammalian reproduction is the physiologic process that determines the length of gestation. The proper timing of birth ensures that the young individual is sufficiently developed to survive and adapt in the extrauterine environment, and that the mother is capable to provide nutrition and protection to the newborn. This volume summarizes new knowledge obtained by many researchers seeking to unravel the compile mechanisms that contribute to the maintenance and termination of pregnancy. The most important common goal of these efforts is to reduce the incidence of preterm birth, which is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality in numerous countries. Separate chapters are devoted to the best-studied animal models of parturition. In sheep, the fetus is in control of the timing of its own birth, while in avian species, oviposition is evidently determined by the female laying the feritlized egg. In humans and non-human primates, the roles of the fetus and the mother are more balanced, and involve a complicated and poorly understood interplay between the mother, the fetus, and the placenta. Some major aspects of these interactions, such as trophoblast function, myometrial contractility, and the endocrine-paracrine systems, are discussed in further chapters.
Cytoskeleton in Specialized Tissues and in Pathological States
1st Edition
Volume 3
J.E. Hesketh + 1 more
English
This volume deals with aspects of the cytoskeleton in different cell types and also describe examples of changes in the cytoskeleton which occur during various pathological states. These studies bring the exciting area of cytoskeleton research into the domain of medical science.
Receptors of Cell Adhesion and Cellular Recognition
1st Edition
Volume 3
A.G. Lee
English
Volume 3 of Biomembranes covers receptors of cell adhesion and cellular recognition. Proteins in the plasma membrane of cells are heavily involved in processes of cell adhesion, but such proteins were not actually isolated and characterized until the mid-1970s. Since then, application of the methods of molecular biology has led to the recognition of four major classes of cell adhesion molecule (CAMs), the immunoglobulin super family, the cadherins, the integrins, and the selecting. A convenient system in which to study the importance of cell adhesion is in blood platelets where aggregation eventually leads to thrombus formation in a process involving a range of surface glycoproteins. Interaction with the extracellular matrix is exemplified by CD44, the receptor for hyaluronan, and a complex carbohydrate that is a major component of the extracellular matrix surrounding migrating and proliferating cells. Membrane-associated mucins have a variety of effects on cell adhesion. The super family of immunoglobulin related proteins also include the T cell receptors and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which, together with the receptors for immunoglobulins (the Fc receptors), are of fundamental importance in the processes of immunity. Volume 3 of Biomembranes explores the structures and functions of the molecules involved in these important functions of the cell.
Cell Chemistry and Physiology: Part IV
1st Edition
Volume 4D
Edward Bittar
English
This volume is intended to complete the Cell Chemistry and physiology module. It is about how the traditional boundaries of cell chemistry and physiology are being erased by molecular biology. We do not think it necessary to elaborate on this theme, particularly since the body of core knowledge found in this volume brings us a stage closer to answering the question, "what makes cell biology into a new discipline?"The first part of the volume deals with the chemistry of actin and myosin and is followed by chapters on cell motility, ATP synthesis in muscle, and contraction in smooth and skeletal muscle. Here the reader is immediately made aware of the contributions molecular biology is making to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying muscle contraction. It is perhaps enough to point out that Huxley's concept of the cross-bridge cycle and generation of force can now be explained in molecular terms. Topics such as muscle fatigue and muscle disorders, as well as malignant hyperthermia are bound to arouse active learning in the student and set the stage for problem-based learning.Most medical students look askance at thermobiology. We think this is a mistake; hence, we have included a section dealing with this subject. This brings us to the chapter on the heat shock response, which at the very outset makes clear that many stressors besides heat are known to result in heat shock gene expression. Many of the heat shock proteins occur in unstressed cells and some of them behave as chaperones. These proteins also reach high levels in a wide range of diseases including neurodegenerative disorders. Whether certain diseases are the result of mutations in the heat shock genes is not yet known. As will be appreciated, much of the work done in this field involved the use of cultured cells. Animal cells in culture are the subject of the last chapter.
Advances in Structural Biology
1st Edition
Volume 4
S.K. Malhotra
English
The present volume continues the trend established in previous volumes in this series on Advances in Structural Biology. As in the past, diverse topics of current importance relevant to the theme of the series are included in the fourth volume.
Cell Chemistry and Physiology: Part III
1st Edition
Volume 4C
Edward Bittar
English
The first section of this volume consists of five chapters to the nature of membrane transport systems. A chapter on secondary active glucose transport has been omitted because this topic is slated to appear in the Nephrobiology module. Chapter 6 deals with oxidase control of plasma membrane proton transport, while chapter 7 addresses the question of how cell volume is regulated. Although we chose not to have a separate chapter covering additional co-transport systems namely, Na+ -K+ -2CI-, KCI, -HCO-3, as well as CI- -HCO-3 exchange and K+ and CI- movements through channels, the role of each in cell volume regulation is emphasized in Chapter 7. Instead of devoting an entire section to the thermodynamics of metabolism, we thought it desirable to have the subjects of medical imaging and NMR of cell metabolism discussed in some detail in two chapters. These are followed by a chapter on the thermodynamic instrument - the calorimeter. Calrimetry allows the measurement of net changes of heat in cells, tissues, organs and whole body. As will be recognized, heat dissipation does not arise only from chemical reactions but also from interactions between macromolecules and conformational changes in protein complexes and mass Ca2+ movement such as that occurring in contracting skeletal muscle. The last chapter provides an account of equilibrium and non-equilibrium thermodynamics and the enthalpy balance method. It reveals that calometric measurements are useful in studies of clinical and toxicological problems.

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