Cellular biology (cytology) Books

Book SynopsisStem Cells: Promises and Reality will tell you everything you have always wanted to know about stem cells, but could not understand the field from elsewhere.Stem cells are the great therapeutic promise of the century, and this evolving field of research and medicine brings with it many legal, ethical and psychological issues that must be discussed by society as a whole.Written so as to be accessible to general readers as well as specialists, this book explains what stem cells are, and the different aspects of stem cell research and applications. The book will enable the reader to understand the field sufficiently to critically participate in the public debates regarding stem cell research and society and ethics. By the end of the book, the reader will also be able to judge news on the stem cells field, and to discern what are real advances and what are phony treatments.The main advantage of this book in comparison with other 'stem cells for the general public' books is that it assumes the reader knows NOTHING about biology, except what is already common knowledge (for example, that we are made of cells). The book constructs step by step the required basic biology knowledge in order for the reader to understand all the different aspects of stem cells. At the same time that it is thorough in its stem cells-based content, and will keep the reader engaged with its narrative.

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Book SynopsisStem Cells: Promises and Reality will tell you everything you have always wanted to know about stem cells, but could not understand the field from elsewhere.Stem cells are the great therapeutic promise of the century, and this evolving field of research and medicine brings with it many legal, ethical and psychological issues that must be discussed by society as a whole.Written so as to be accessible to general readers as well as specialists, this book explains what stem cells are, and the different aspects of stem cell research and applications. The book will enable the reader to understand the field sufficiently to critically participate in the public debates regarding stem cell research and society and ethics. By the end of the book, the reader will also be able to judge news on the stem cells field, and to discern what are real advances and what are phony treatments.The main advantage of this book in comparison with other 'stem cells for the general public' books is that it assumes the reader knows NOTHING about biology, except what is already common knowledge (for example, that we are made of cells). The book constructs step by step the required basic biology knowledge in order for the reader to understand all the different aspects of stem cells. At the same time that it is thorough in its stem cells-based content, and will keep the reader engaged with its narrative.

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Book SynopsisThe fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family of ligands and the corresponding family of FGF receptor tyrosine kinases comprise one of the most versatile and diverse growth factor signaling families in vertebrates, found virtually in every tissue and cell type where they regulate metabolic and physiologic function, maintain tissue homeostasis, and mediate injury response, tissue repair, and regeneration. As a result, FGFs play critical roles in a wide variety of normal biological and abnormalities in FGF signaling can lead to a variety of disease states from developmental malformations, to atherosclerosis, pulmonary hypertension and cancer among many others. A thorough understanding of this system is necessary for critical insights into both normal and disease biology and is essential to development of rationale therapeutic strategies aimed at treatment of FGF-dependent diseases states.Recent years have seen advances in our understanding of FGFs role in endothelial and, more general, vascular biology, the subject of this book. In particular, FGFs have been implicated in the maintenance of vascular homeostasis and control of blood vessel permeability while aberrant FGF signaling has been shown to be central to the development of pulmonary hypertension, and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, a process implicated in the development of atherosclerosis. Finally, FGFs ability to stimulate blood vessel growth has been explored in therapeutic angiogenesis approaches.With this in mind, the present monograph is structured to provide comprehensive information to a reader interested in FGFs in general and vascular biology in particular. To this end, we explore everything from the structure and signaling of FGFs and their receptors (Chapters 1, 2 and 3) to their role in the regulation of vascular homeostasis (Chapter 4) and cardiovascular diseases (Chapters 5 and 6). We then address new developments in FGF therapeutics (chapter 7) and explore FGF biology in the epithelium (Chapter 8) thereby providing a complete analysis of this growth factor family biology in two closely related but distinctly different environments — endothelium and epithelium. Finally, we examine FGF biology in eye disease and in cancer.It is our hope that this comprehensive treatment of FGF vascular biology and its application will provide the reader with the accurate and timely summary of this rapidly moving field.

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Book SynopsisTissue engineering integrates knowledge and tools from biological sciences and engineering for tissue regeneration. A challenge for tissue engineering is to identify appropriate cell sources. The recent advancement of stem cell biology provides enormous opportunities to engineer stem cells for tissue engineering. The impact of stem cell technology on tissue engineering will be revolutionary.This book covers state-of-the-art knowledge on the potential of stem cells for the regeneration of a wide range of tissues and organs, including cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, neurological and skin tissues. The technology platforms for studying and engineering stem cells, such as hydrogel and biomaterials development, microfluidics system and microscale patterning, are also illustrated. Regulatory challenges and quality control for clinical translation are also detailed. This book provides an comprehensive update on the advancement in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, and serves as a valuable resource for both researchers and students.

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Book SynopsisThis book narrates the uniquely intertwined life and scientific career of Nobel laureate Osamu Shimomura, with particular attention to his discovery of aequorin and Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). It includes his early memories of Manchuria and wartime Japan featuring an eyewitness account of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, his postwar studies and his travels to collect and research more than fifteen bioluminescent species, in locations ranging from Japan to San Juan Island, Bermuda, New Zealand and Norway. Dr Shimomura describes the unique combination of serendipity and perseverance that led ultimately to his 2008 Nobel Prize in chemistry. The book provides an engaging account of the life of a dedicated scientist, emphasizing the value of determination in the pursuit of pure scientific knowledge, and showing how a general understanding of science helped him open up new areas of research that have led to unforeseen applications in cell biology and medicine.

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Book SynopsisStem cells have the ability to differentiate into cells that are found throughout the body. This fundamental property of stem cells suggests that they can potentially be used to replace degenerative cells within the body, and regenerate the functional capacity of organ systems that have deteriorated because of disease or aging. This authoritative textbook provides an overview of the latest advances in the field of stem cell biology, spanning topics that include nuclear reprogramming, somatic cell cloning, and determinants of cell fate; embryonic stem cells for hematopoietic and pancreatic repair; adult stem cells for cardiovascular, neural, renal, and hepatic repair; and manufacturing of stem cells for clinical use.

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Book Synopsis'An engrossing read that is hard to put down and packed with insights blend history and the latest research with broader examination of stem cell potentials to change not only health conditions, but society as a whole. No collection covering stem cell advancements should be without this hard-hitting examination that uses California's results as a foundation for considering stem cell's special promises and powerful obstacles to success.'Midwestern Book ReviewThirteen years ago, America faced an epidemic of chronic disease: cancer, paralysis, blindness, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and more.But California voters said 'YES!' to a $3 billion stem cell research program: the awkwardly-named California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Born into battle, the scrappy little state agency was immediately blocked by three years of anti-science lawsuits — but it defeated them all. And then?A quiet triumph. With a focused intensity like the Manhattan Project (but for peaceful purposes, not to build a bomb), scientists funded by CIRM took on the challenges: disease and disability called chronic: incurable.In a series of connected stories, accurate though written to entertain, 'California Cures' relates a war: science against disease, with lives on the line. Think what it means for a paralyzed young man to recover the use of his hands, or for a formerly-blind mother to see her teenaged children — for the first time!Do you know the 'bubble-baby' syndrome? Infants without a proper immune system typically die young; a common cold can kill. But for eighteen babies in a stem cell clinical trial, a different future: they were cured of their disease.No one can predict the pace of science, nor say when cures will come; but California is bringing the fight. The reader will meet the scientists involved, the women and men behind the microscope, and share their struggle.Above all, 'California Cures' is a call for action. Washington may argue about the expense of health care (and who will get it), but California works to bring down the mountain of medical debt: stem cell therapies to ease suffering, and save lives.Will California build on success — and invest $5 billion more in stem cell research?'We have the momentum', says author Don C Reed, 'We dare not stop short. Chronic disease threatens everyone — we are fighting for your family, and mine!'

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Book Synopsis'An engrossing read that is hard to put down and packed with insights blend history and the latest research with broader examination of stem cell potentials to change not only health conditions, but society as a whole. No collection covering stem cell advancements should be without this hard-hitting examination that uses California's results as a foundation for considering stem cell's special promises and powerful obstacles to success.'Midwestern Book ReviewThirteen years ago, America faced an epidemic of chronic disease: cancer, paralysis, blindness, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and more.But California voters said 'YES!' to a $3 billion stem cell research program: the awkwardly-named California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Born into battle, the scrappy little state agency was immediately blocked by three years of anti-science lawsuits — but it defeated them all. And then?A quiet triumph. With a focused intensity like the Manhattan Project (but for peaceful purposes, not to build a bomb), scientists funded by CIRM took on the challenges: disease and disability called chronic: incurable.In a series of connected stories, accurate though written to entertain, 'California Cures' relates a war: science against disease, with lives on the line. Think what it means for a paralyzed young man to recover the use of his hands, or for a formerly-blind mother to see her teenaged children — for the first time!Do you know the 'bubble-baby' syndrome? Infants without a proper immune system typically die young; a common cold can kill. But for eighteen babies in a stem cell clinical trial, a different future: they were cured of their disease.No one can predict the pace of science, nor say when cures will come; but California is bringing the fight. The reader will meet the scientists involved, the women and men behind the microscope, and share their struggle.Above all, 'California Cures' is a call for action. Washington may argue about the expense of health care (and who will get it), but California works to bring down the mountain of medical debt: stem cell therapies to ease suffering, and save lives.Will California build on success — and invest $5 billion more in stem cell research?'We have the momentum', says author Don C Reed, 'We dare not stop short. Chronic disease threatens everyone — we are fighting for your family, and mine!'

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Book SynopsisIn this book the author describes the discoveries in his laboratory that led to therapy with cultured cells. The first cultured cell type used for therapy was the keratinocyte of the epidermis, for the treatment of burns. Subsequent developments led to the use of cultured cells for the treatment of diseases of the eye, of the joints and of other diseases. Cultured cells for therapy are now being prepared by industries in the US, Japan and Korea and are used in the aforesaid countries, as well as in France, Sweden and Greece, for the treatment of disease.Trade Review"This book contains a personal account of the development of therapy with cultured cells by the founder of the field. He describes the first application which he developed for the treatment of burn patients. This methodology was then applied by others to the treatment of eye diseases and the restoration of vision after chemical burns. Later, other cultured cell types, such as cartilage cells, were introduced for human therapy. These applications are all current in many parts of the world. A must read for all cell biology students!"—Prof. Tung-Tien Sun, New York University Medical School, USATable of ContentsThe Early History of Cell Culture. The Beginnings of Keratinocyte Cultivation. The Treatment of Burns. Defining the Stem Cell Character of Keratinocytes. Treatment with Allogeneic Cultured Keratinocytes. Treatment of Ocular Disease. Gene Therapy. Therapy with Cultured Chondrocytes. The Promise of Therapy with Embryonic Stem Cells.

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Book SynopsisThis book is intended to be an accessible introduction to the cell biology of mammalian cells for junior or senior undergraduate students who have already had an introduction to biological sciences. This engaging and stimulating text focuses on current controversies in cell biology. To solve these puzzles, the reader will learn how to answer a number of fundamental yet hard-hitting questions in the field. He or she is thus able to approach the subject with the right scientific attitude and build a firm foundation of understanding. Basic features of mammalian cells — secretion, division, motility, cell-cell interactions — are described using up-to-date references to the most current scientific literature. The text is well illustrated with clearly understandable diagrams and numerous micrographs of cells. This text will enable non-specialists to acquire a better understanding of current issues in mammalian cell biology.Table of ContentsHow do Cells Regulate the Positions and Amounts of Their Organelles?; How do Cells of the Four Basic Tissues Arise from Embryonic Stem Cells?; How do Adult Stem Cells Contribute to Basic Tissue Functions?; How do Giant Cells Form?; How do Lymphocytes and Other Blood Cells Protect the Body From Harm?; Glial Cells, the Unsung Heroes of the Brain; How are the Numbers of Cells in an Organ Regulated?; How do Sensory Cells Function?;

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Book SynopsisThis book is intended to be an accessible introduction to the cell biology of mammalian cells for junior or senior undergraduate students who have already had an introduction to biological sciences. This engaging and stimulating text focuses on current controversies in cell biology. To solve these puzzles, the reader will learn how to answer a number of fundamental yet hard-hitting questions in the field. He or she is thus able to approach the subject with the right scientific attitude and build a firm foundation of understanding. Basic features of mammalian cells — secretion, division, motility, cell-cell interactions — are described using up-to-date references to the most current scientific literature. The text is well illustrated with clearly understandable diagrams and numerous micrographs of cells. This text will enable non-specialists to acquire a better understanding of current issues in mammalian cell biology.Table of ContentsHow do Cells Regulate the Positions and Amounts of Their Organelles?; How do Cells of the Four Basic Tissues Arise from Embryonic Stem Cells?; How do Adult Stem Cells Contribute to Basic Tissue Functions?; How do Giant Cells Form?; How do Lymphocytes and Other Blood Cells Protect the Body From Harm?; Glial Cells, the Unsung Heroes of the Brain; How are the Numbers of Cells in an Organ Regulated?; How do Sensory Cells Function?;

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Book SynopsisTissue engineering integrates knowledge and tools from biological sciences and engineering for tissue regeneration. A challenge for tissue engineering is to identify appropriate cell sources. The recent advancement of stem cell biology provides enormous opportunities to engineer stem cells for tissue engineering. The impact of stem cell technology on tissue engineering will be revolutionary. This book covers state-of-the-art knowledge on the potential of stem cells for the regeneration of a wide range of tissues and organs and the technologies for studying and engineering stem cells. It serves as a valuable reference book for researchers and students.Table of ContentsAdult Stem Cells; Fetal Stem Cells; Pluripotent Stem Cells; Matrix Engineering; High-Throughput Technologies; Micro and Nanotechnologies; Cell Sourcing and Banking; Regulatory Issues; Stem Cell Imaging; Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine.

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Book SynopsisWhat is autophagy? Why would neurons digest parts of themselves through autophagy? How can autophagy save the lives of cells under some conditions, but act as an accomplice to cell death in others? By what mechanisms are autophagy-related processes dysregulated in neurological diseases, and are there therapeutic strategies to correct or compensate for their dysfunction? This book provides an expert view of major concepts in autophagy research with a focus on autophagy in neurons. Experimental evidence for evolutionarily conserved and specialized regulatory mechanisms for autophagy in the mammalian nervous system will be presented, including recent data on braking mechanisms. Areas of intersection with cell death, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, chaperone-mediated autophagy, and the endocytic pathway will be reviewed, along with emerging areas of mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) and the autophagic regulation of neuritic/synaptic processes. Advances in delineating mechanisms by which autophagy is involved in the pathophysiology of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ischemia/hypoxia and lysosomal storage diseases, will be discussed along with current drug development strategies targeting autophagy.Table of ContentsNeuronal Autophagy: Cellular Process and Regulation: Basal Autophagy and Control of Autophagy in Neurons (Z Yue & N Mizushima); Autophagosome Maturation and Neurodegenerative Disease (A Yamamoto & A Simonsen); Cross-Talk Between the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System and Macroautophagy (S Pankiv & T Johansen); Chaperone Mediated Autophagy (CMA) Process in Neurons (M Xilouri et al.); Neuronal Mitochondrial Transport and Turnover via Mitophagy (Z-H Sheng & C T Chu); Autophagy in Axon Homeostasis and Transport (Z Yue); Maintaining Autophagic Balance: A Role for Brakes and Dampers (C T Chu); Autophagy in Neurological Disorders; Autophagy and Its Cross-Talk with Cell Death in Neural Development (S Di Bartolomeo & F Cecconi); Autophagy and Alzheimer's Disease (R Nixon et al.); The Potential of Autophagy Regulation in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases (A R Winslow et al.); Autophagy - Roles in Synaptic Structure and Function (D Hernandez & D Sulzer); Metabolic Factors for Autophagy in Parkinson's Disease (W H Yu & K Duff); Elucidation of the Autophagy-Lysosomal System of Knockout Mice in Neurons Under Physiologic and Pathologic Conditions (M Komatsu et al.); Lysosome Storage Disorders on the Brain: The Autophagy Lysosome Pathway Contributes to Disease Pathophysiology and May be Utilized for Therapeutic Benefit (J Shacka); Autophagy in the Retina: Development, Physiology and Pathology (P Boya); Autophagy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (J Gal & H Zhu); Autophagy and Neurite Degeneration in vitro Models (T Koike & X X Zheng).

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Book SynopsisMetabolic and Cellular Engineering (MCE) is more than an exciting scientific enterprise. It has become the cornerstone for coping with the challenges ahead of mankind. Continuous developments, new concepts, and technological innovations will enable us to deal with emerging challenges, and solve problems once thought impossible ten years ago. Challenges in MCE are broad- from unraveling fundamental aspects of cellular function to meeting unsatiated energy and food demands that are rising in parallel with population growth.In charting the progress of MCE during the last decade, we could not help but feel in awe of the enormous strides of progress made from the nascent Metabolic Engineering to the Systems Bioengineering of today. The burgeoning availability of genomic sequences from diverse species has been spectacular. It has become the engine that drives the genetic means for the modification of existing organisms and the generation of synthetic, man-made ones. From the initial attempts at purposeful genetic modification of a cell for the production of valuable compounds, we have now moved on to changing microbes genetically or metabolically.The arsenal of experimental and theoretical tools available for Metabolic and Cellular Engineering has expanded enormously, driven by the re-emergence of Physiology as Systems Biology. The revival of the concept of networks fueled by new developments has become central to Systems Biology. Networks represent an integrative vision of how processes of disparate nature relate to each other, and as such is becoming a key analytical and conceptual tool for MCE. This book reflects and addresses all these ongoing changes while providing the essential conceptual and analytical tools needed to understand and work in the MCE research field.Table of ContentsMetabolic and Cellular Engineering in the Context of Bioprocess Engineering; Systems Biology and the Complex Systems Approach; Networks in Systems Biology; Black and Grey Boxes: Levels of Description of Metabolic Behavior in Microorganisms; Matter and Energy Balances; Mass Balance as the Basis of Metabolic Flux Analysis; Microbial Growth Under Steady and "Balanced" Conditions; Metabolic Fluxes During Balanced and Steady State Growth; Toward a Rational Design of Cells; Metabolic Design of Cells as Catalysts; Stoichiometry of Growth: the Equivalence Between Biochemical Stoichiometries and Physiological Parameters; Metabolic Flux Analysis Applications; The Transdisciplinary Approach as Applied to the Rational Design of Microorganisms; Modeling Networks: Concepts and Tools; Kinetic Modeling in Microbial Physiology and Energetics; Metabolic Control Analysis of Networks; Analysis and Detection of Complex Nonlinear Behavior in Networks; Complex Qualitative Behavior in Networks; Dynamic Aspects of Bioprocess Behavior; Oscillatory Phenomena in Continuous Cultures; Bioprocess Development with Plant Cells; Plant Metabolism; Carbon Assimilation, Partitioning, and Allocation in Higher Plants; Cell Culture Techniques; Metabolic and Cellular Engineering in the Industrial Production of Therapeutic Proteins; Biological Complexity and Systems Bioengineering.

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Book SynopsisMetabolic and Cellular Engineering (MCE) is more than an exciting scientific enterprise. It has become the cornerstone for coping with the challenges ahead of mankind. Continuous developments, new concepts, and technological innovations will enable us to deal with emerging challenges, and solve problems once thought impossible ten years ago. Challenges in MCE are broad- from unraveling fundamental aspects of cellular function to meeting unsatiated energy and food demands that are rising in parallel with population growth.In charting the progress of MCE during the last decade, we could not help but feel in awe of the enormous strides of progress made from the nascent Metabolic Engineering to the Systems Bioengineering of today. The burgeoning availability of genomic sequences from diverse species has been spectacular. It has become the engine that drives the genetic means for the modification of existing organisms and the generation of synthetic, man-made ones. From the initial attempts at purposeful genetic modification of a cell for the production of valuable compounds, we have now moved on to changing microbes genetically or metabolically.The arsenal of experimental and theoretical tools available for Metabolic and Cellular Engineering has expanded enormously, driven by the re-emergence of Physiology as Systems Biology. The revival of the concept of networks fueled by new developments has become central to Systems Biology. Networks represent an integrative vision of how processes of disparate nature relate to each other, and as such is becoming a key analytical and conceptual tool for MCE. This book reflects and addresses all these ongoing changes while providing the essential conceptual and analytical tools needed to understand and work in the MCE research field.Table of ContentsMetabolic and Cellular Engineering in the Context of Bioprocess Engineering; Systems Biology and the Complex Systems Approach; Networks in Systems Biology; Black and Grey Boxes: Levels of Description of Metabolic Behavior in Microorganisms; Matter and Energy Balances; Mass Balance as the Basis of Metabolic Flux Analysis; Microbial Growth Under Steady and "Balanced" Conditions; Metabolic Fluxes During Balanced and Steady State Growth; Toward a Rational Design of Cells; Metabolic Design of Cells as Catalysts; Stoichiometry of Growth: the Equivalence Between Biochemical Stoichiometries and Physiological Parameters; Metabolic Flux Analysis Applications; The Transdisciplinary Approach as Applied to the Rational Design of Microorganisms; Modeling Networks: Concepts and Tools; Kinetic Modeling in Microbial Physiology and Energetics; Metabolic Control Analysis of Networks; Analysis and Detection of Complex Nonlinear Behavior in Networks; Complex Qualitative Behavior in Networks; Dynamic Aspects of Bioprocess Behavior; Oscillatory Phenomena in Continuous Cultures; Bioprocess Development with Plant Cells; Plant Metabolism; Carbon Assimilation, Partitioning, and Allocation in Higher Plants; Cell Culture Techniques; Metabolic and Cellular Engineering in the Industrial Production of Therapeutic Proteins; Biological Complexity and Systems Bioengineering.

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Book SynopsisRecent developments in atomic force microscopy (AFM) have been accomplished through various technical and instrumental innovations, including high-resolution and recognition imaging technology under physiological conditions, fast-scanning AFM, and general methods for cantilever modification and force measurement. All these techniques are now highly powerful not only in material sciences but also in basic biological sciences. There are many nanotechnology books that focus on materials, instruments, and applications in engineering and medicine, but only a few of them are directed toward basic biological sciences. This book tries to bridge this gap.Edited by a prominent researcher, this volume provides an overview of modern AFM technologies: the basic AFM protocols in Part I, newly developed technologies in Part II, and the most recent applications of AFM technologies in biological sciences in Parts III and IV. The chapters are contributed by some of the leading scientists in the field of nanobiology.Trade Review"An outstanding review of the current AFM technology and a must-read for light microscopists interested in super-resolution approaches."Prof. Michael Tamkun, Colorado State University, USA"In the last decade, atomic force microscope (AFM) has developed as a tool for imaging the surface of biological samples and for measuring forces at the nanoscale level. Edited by Dr. Takeyasu, this book covers many topics from basic AFM protocols to specific ones that are essential to investigate ligand–receptor binding strength, motion, and dissociation dynamics. It also discusses newly developed technologies and provides new approaches to understand the molecular mechanisms in biological sciences."Prof. Juan C. Alonso, Centro Nacional de Biotecnologia (CSIC), SpainTable of ContentsBasics for AFM. A Short Story of AFM in Biology. Protocols for Specimen and Substrate Preparation, and Data Correction Methods. Chemical Modification of AFM Probe and Coupling with Biomolecules. Single Molecule Dissection and Isolation Based on AFM Nano-Manipulations. Development of AFM Technology: Imaging Dynamics and Complexities. Structural Biology with Cryo AFM and Computational Modeling. Development of Non-Contact High-Resolution AFM and its Biological Applications. Development of Recognition Imaging – From Molecule to Cells. Development of High-Speed AFM and Its Biological Applications. Real-Time AFM Combined with an Inverted Optical Microscope for Wetcell/Tissue Imaging. Imaging Membranes, Proteins and DNA. AFM imaging of Cells (Fixed and Living) and of Particularcellular Organelles and Compartments. Determination of the Architecture of Multi-Subunit Proteins Using AFM Imaging. Capturing Membrane Proteins at Work. Enzymes and DNA: Molecular Motors in Action. Genome Folding Mechanisms in the Three Domains of Life Revealed by AFM Imaging. Imaging, Force Spectroscopy and Physiology. Membrane Dynamics: Lipid-Protein Interaction Studied by AFM. Nano Surgery and Cytoskeletal Mechanics of Single Cell. Functional Investigations on Nuclear Pores with Atomic Force Microscopy. Mechanotransduction: Probing its Mechanisms at the Nanoscale using the Atomic Force Microscope.

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Book SynopsisUnderstanding the functions and properties of molecules in living systems requires a detailed knowledge of their three-dimensional structures and the conformational variability that allows them to adopt multiple functional forms. Interpreting biological systems in the language of three-dimensional structures is of fundamental importance and innumerable research groups around the world are working in this area. This book is a compilation of articles describing attempts at understanding the intricacies of biological systems through the structures of and interactions between their constituent molecules.

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Book SynopsisStem Cells: An Insider's Guide is an exciting new book that takes readers inside the world of stem cells guided by international stem cell expert, Dr. Paul Knoepfler. Stem cells are catalyzing a revolution in medicine. The book also tackles the exciting and hotly debated area of stem cell treatments that are capturing the public's imagination. In the future they may also transform how we age and reproduce. However, there are serious risks and ethical challenges, too. The author's goal with this insider's guide is to give readers the information needed to distinguish between the ubiquitous hype and legitimate hope found throughout the stem cell world. The book answers the most common questions that people have about stem cells. Can stem cells help my family with a serious medical problem such as Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis, or Autism? Are such treatments safe? Can stem cells make me look younger or even literally stay physically young? These questions and many more are answered here.A number of ethical issues related to stem cells that spark debates are discussed, including risky treatments, cloning and embryonic stem cells. The author breaks new ground in a number of ways such as by suggesting reforms to the FDA, providing a new theory of aging based on stem cells, and including a revolutionary Stem Cell Patient Bill of Rights. More generally, the book is your guide to where the stem cell field will be in the near future as well as a thoughtful perspective on how stem cell therapies will ultimately change your life and our world.Table of ContentsMeet Your Stem Cells; The Promise of Stem Cell Treatments; The Roadblocks to Stem Cell Treatments; All in the Family: An Insider's Tale of Two Stem Cells and a Black Sheep; An Insider's Guide to a Stem Cell Laboratory; The Stem Cell Theory of Aging; Challenges to Ethical & Legal Commercialization of Stem Cell Treatments; Patient's Guide to Stem Cell Treatments; Stem Cell Cosmetics and Sports Medicine; Non-Commercial Stem Cell Ethical Issues; Who Really Discovered Stem Cells? The Dynamic History of the World's Most Exciting Cell; Not Lost in Translation: The Global and Cultural Language of Stem Cells; The Top Stem Cell Secrets, Myths, Urban Legends, Paradoxes and Taboos; What the Future Holds for Stem Cells and You.

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Book SynopsisDespite substantial evidence showing the feasibility of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to identify cells with altered elastic and adhesive properties, the use of this technique as a complementary diagnostic method remains controversial. This book is designed to be a practical textbook that teaches how to assess the mechanical characteristics of living, individual cells by AFM. Following a step-by-step approach, it introduces the methodology of measurements in the case of both determination of elastic properties and quantification of adhesive properties.Table of ContentsIntroduction. Cell Structure and Functions. Principles of Atomic Force Microscopy. Quantification of Cellular Elasticity. Adhesive Properties Studied by AFM. Conclusions.

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Book SynopsisThis unique volume reviews the beautiful architectures and varying mechanical actions of the set of specialized cellular proteins called molecular chaperones, which provide essential kinetic assistance to processes of protein folding and unfolding in the cell. Ranging from multisubunit ring-shaped chaperonin and Hsp100 machines that use their central cavities to bind and compartmentalize action on proteins, to machines that use other topologies of recognition — binding cellular proteins in an archway or at the surface of a 'clamp' or at the surface of a globular assembly — the structures show us the ways and means the cell has devised to assist its major effectors, proteins, to reach and maintain their unique active forms, as well as, when required, to disrupt protein structure in order to remodel or degrade. Each type of chaperone is beautifully illustrated by X-ray and EM structure determinations at near- atomic level resolution and described by a leader in the study of the respective family. The beauty of what Mother Nature has devised to accomplish essential assisting actions for proteins in vivo is fully appreciable.Table of ContentsHsp70 Molecular Chaperones: Versatile Modular Nanomachines that Mediate Multiple Biological Functions (Lila M Gierasch); Structural Analysis of GroEL/GroES Chaperone-mediated Protein Folding (Arthur L Howrich); Structural Analysis of Type II Chaperonins in Archaebacteria and the Eukaryotic Cytosol (Arthur L Howrich); The Small Heat Shock Proteins Family: Assembly and Binding Functions (C Slingsby & A R Clark); Structure and Mechanism of AAA+ Chaperones (Shannon M Doyle, Andrea N Kravats & Sue Wickner); Hsp90 ATP-dependent Molecular Chaperones (David Agard);

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