Magnetoreception and Magnetosomes in Bacteria
Recent developments in the research on magnetotactic bacteria are presented in this volume. Included are reviews on the formation and organization of magnetosomes, the genes controlling magnetosome biomineralization, and new cryogenic techniques to visualize novel cytoskeleton structures. Described here are potential nanobiotechnological applications of the magnetosome crystals, which have magnetic and crystalline characteristics unmatched by their inorganic counterparts.
Lymphocyte Trafficking in Health and Disease
Since the discovery of chemokines and of chemokine receptors it has become evident that expression of chemokines at the site of inflammation may regulate the composition of cellular infiltrate, thereby directing the type of immune response. Recently, the molecular characterization of inherited disorders of immune system, (e.g., Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, WHIM syndrome, leukocyte adhesion deficiency), which are characterized by cytoskeleton/adhesion defects or by altered response of chemokine receptors has contributed to clarifying the key players of immune response in normal physiology and in disease. This book, which deals with the description of the role of chemokines in immune response and underlines potential targets of therapeutical intervention, offers a series of contributions of the most challenging aspects of lymphocyte migration in homeostasis and in disease.
Cell-Cell Channels
The biological sciences are dominated by the idea that cells are the functionally autonomous, physically separated, discrete units of life. This concept was propounded in the 19th century by discoveries of the cellular structuring of both plants and animals. Moreover, the ap parent autonomy of unicellular eukaryotes, as well as the cellular basis of the mammalian brain (an organ whose anatomy for a long while defied attempts to validate the idea of the cellular nature of its neurons), seemed to provide the final conclusive evidence for the completeness of *cell theory', a theory which has persisted in an almost dogmatic form up to the present day. However, it is very obvious that there are numerous observations which indicate that it is not the cells which serve as the basic units of biological life but that this property falls to some other, subcellular assemblage. To deal with this intricate problem concerning the fundamental unit of living matter, we proposed the so-called Cell Body concept which, in fact, devel ops an exceedingly original idea proposed by Julius Sachs at the end of the 19th century. In the case of eukaryotic cells, DNA-enriched nuclei are intimately associated with a microtubular cytoskeleton. In this configuration—as a Cell Body—these two items comprise the fundamental functional and struc tural unit of eukaryotic living matter. The Cell Body seems to be inherent to all cells in all organisms.
Cell Division Control in Plants
The molecular mechanisms controlling cell cycle progression are highly conserved in eukaryotes. In addition to the basic protein machinery involved in cell cycle regulation, higher plants have also evolved unique molecular mechanisms that allow integration of environmental, physiological, and developmental signals into networks to control proper cell division and expansion. Rapid and exciting research progress in these fields has been achieved from experimental observations on plants over the past decade. The scope of this volume is focused on the molecular basis of all aspects of cell division and cytokinesis in plants. It is an essential reference book for instructors and scientists working in the areas of molecular, cell, and developmental biology of plants. The editors of this book are veterans in the field of plant molecular biology and highly respected worldwide.
Cardiac Mechanotransduction
For about hundred years the investigation of heart physiology has had one central guiding principle, the "law" of Frank and Starling. This connects the return of blood into the heart and the blood pressure with cardiac con traction force. The "law" does it in a way that enables the cardiovascular system to react to perturbations without major malfunctions. This book is a compilation of reviews of prominent scientists on this subject. The differ ence of the original formulation of the Frank-Starling principle is that mechanotransduction is the central theme that leads the reader through the book. Since the discovery of the "law" the scope of topics related to this subject has broadened enormously, as can be seen easily by glancing at the contents of this book. Mechanotransduction in the heart has many faces that range from molecules to humans and their diseases.
Biology of the Fungal Cell
"The volume is well illustrated and certainly realizes the primary aim of "The Mycota", namely to highlight developments in both basic and applied research into fungal systems." (Microbiology Today) "The Editors´ aim 'to provide a selected sampling of contemporary topics at the forefront of fungal cell biology' has certainly been achieved. Indeed, it is hard to imagine any mycologist not finding something fascinating in each of the chapters. ... Further, the volume is packed with material that will be extremely useful for those presenting basic courses in mycology - especially because of the many fine explanatory line drawings." (Mycological Research)
Biological Calcification : Normal and Pathological Processes in the Early Stages
This book follows a precursor volume devoted to biological calci?cation, - sued by the CRC Press, Boca Raton (Florida) in 1992. Several basic aspects of the calci?cation process were analyzed in it by outstanding authors who had unquestioned competence in their respective research areas. Its main aim was that of giving readers access to a series of papers which, even though they discussed divergent aspects of biological calci?cations drawn from the study of systems as different as vertebrate skeletons and mollusks, in vitro cultures and unicellular organisms, ectopic calci?cation and urinary stones, provided elements permitting a coherent approach to a comprehensive view of the calci?cation process in biological tissues.
Axonal branching and recovery of coordinated muscle activity after transsection of the facial nerve in adult rats
Facial nerve surgery inevitably leads to partial pareses, abnormally associated movements and pathologically altered reflexes. The reason for this "post-paralytic syndrome" is the misdirected reinnervation of targets
Actin-Binding Proteins and Disease
This volume, written by experts in the field, is the first to deal with the relationship between human disease and the actin cytoskeleton. It provides overviews of actin and selected actin-binding proteins, and then focuses on diseases that involve these proteins. Specific chapters deal with actin, cofilin, profilin, gelsolin and thymosin ¾4. Other chapters discuss the roles of multiple actin-binding proteins in cancer and metastasis, leukocyte disorders, and heart failure, and there is a chapter that describes how intracellular pathogens use the host actin cytoskeleton. This seminal volume is intended for researchers, clinicians, physicians, and graduate students in the fields of biochemistry, cell biology, microbiology, immunology, and genetics.
Actin Monomer Binding Proteins
The actin cytoskeleton plays a central role in many cellular processes including cell motility, cytokinesis, endocytosis and phagocytosis. The structure and dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton is regulated by a large number of proteins that interact with monomeric and/or filamentous actin. Actin monomer binding proteins provides a comprehensive view on actin monomer-binding proteins and the mechanisms by which they contribute to actin dynamics and various actin-dependent cellular processes. This new title contains chapters that describe the basic mechanisms of actin dynamics as well as the structural principles by which various actin-binding proteins interact with actin.
Assistive technologies, robotics, and automated machines in the health domain
The field of healthcare is constantly evolving and advancing with new technologies and innovations. Among these, assistive technologies, robotics, and automated machines are rapidly gaining ground as powerful tools to improve the quality of care and enhance patient outcomes. From wearable devices that monitor vital signs to surgical robots that assist in complex procedures, these technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way we deliver healthcare. The development and the integration of assistive technologies, care robots, and automated machines are strategic both as single components, when paired together, and when interconnected in the health domain.This reprint explores the latest developments in assistive technologies, robotics, and automated machines in the health domain, providing a comprehensive overview of their applications and potential impact. The reprint is for the benefit of healthcare professionals, researchers, engineers, and students interested in these rapidly evolving fields.
Advanced sensors technologies applied in mobile robot
Contains contributions on the latest developments in mobile robotic systems and related research. Various topics with different ideas and applications from mobile robotics have found their place. New ideas are presented for mobile robots that specialise in cleaning floors, power lines and HVAC systems. We also find innovative approaches for navigation path planning using local minima-free potential fields, novel path primitives and/or their parameterisation for minimum-time planning, and various control approaches ranging from visual serving to model predictive and adaptive trajectory tracking, applied to wheeled robots, humanoid manipulators and flying robots. Localisation approaches using LiDAR, motion capture systems, fingerprint-based and biomechanical gait systems are also discussed.
Basic and Applied Bone Biology
Provides an overview of skeletal biology from the molecular level to the organ level, including cellular control, interaction and response; adaptive responses to various external stimuli; the interaction of the skeletal system with other metabolic processes in the body; and the effect of various disease processes on the skeleton.
Cell Motility
Cell motility is a fascinating example of cell behavior which is fundamentally important to a number of biological and pathological processes. It is based on a complex self-organized mechano-chemical machine consisting of cytoskeletal filaments and molecular motors. In general, the cytoskeleton is responsible for the movement of the entire cell and for movements within the cell. The main challenge in the field of cell motility is to develop a complete physical description on how and why cells move. For this purpose new ways of modeling the properties of biological cells have to be found. This long term goal can only be achieved if new experimental techniques are developed to extract physical information from these living systems and if theoretical models are found which bridge the gap between molecular and mesoscopic length scales. Cell Motility gives an authoritative overview of the fundamental biological facts, theoretical models, and current experimental developments in this fascinating area.













