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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 Engineering : Apoptosis
A reference on the development of cellular systems for the production of recombinant glycoproteins, gene and cell therapies, drug screening and tissue engineering. It intends to review the in-depth assessments of this type of programmed cell death. It is suitable for biotechnologists and researchers in apoptosis, cell biology, and cell culture.
Cell Culture Engineering
Many patients suffering with life-threatening diseases or chronic dysfunctions, which were medically untreatable not long ago, can attest to the wonder these drugs have achieved. Although the first generation of p- tein therapeutics was produced in recombinant Escherichia coli, most recent products use mammalian cells as production hosts. Not long after the first p- duction of recombinant proteins in E. coli, it was realized that the complex tasks of most post-translational modifications on proteins could only be efficiently carried out in mammalian cells.
Carbon monoxide in drug discovery, basics, pharmacology, and therapeutic potential
Carbon monoxide, one of the smallest organic natural molecules, is widely known for its toxicity. Formation of CO via incomplete combustion is a major contributing factor to accidental or intentional CO poisoning, leading to severe health consequences or death. In addition, CO is a by-product of tobacco smoking, and has been associated with some of the harmful effects of smoking. However, less known and probably far more important is the recognition of the essential physiological roles of CO as a signaling molecule in mammals. Against over more than a century of negative connotation, the last few decades have proven that CO possesses a multitude of physiological roles and therapeutic functions including regulation of the immune response, cellular proliferation, and control of cell survival. This concept is supported by the discovery that CO is produced by all cells and more so under conditions of stress. This book comprehensively summarizes key aspects of CO's endogenous roles, therapeutic functions, and challenges that we face in its development as a therapeutic agent. We hope this preface will provide a thread for reading this book and a birds-eye view of the landscape for understanding this field, and more importantly lay out the challenges ahead in understanding the detailed mechanisms of action of CO and in its development as a therapeutic agent.
Cancer du sein avancé : 29es Journées de la Société Française de Sénologie et Pathologie Mammaire (SFSPM) Avignon, 14–16 novembre 2007 = Advanced breast cancer : 29th Days of the French Society of Senology and Breast Pathology (SFSPM) Avignon, November 14–16, 2007
These days are an opportunity to remind and persuade those less convinced that the treatment of this very particular phase of the disease is not limited to a score played by a few speakers or even by medical oncologists alone; but on the contrary, we must bring into play a truly philharmonic polyphonic ensemble, united around the patient and comprising all the players in multidisciplinary care: general practitioner, surgeon, radiotherapist, imaging specialist, gynecologist, general practitioner, psychologist, algologist, supportive care workers ...
Brodmann's : Localisation in the Cerebral Cortex
It is one of the major "classics" of the neurological world. Even today it forms the basis for so-called "localisation" of function in the cerebral cortex. Brodmann's "areas" are still used to designate functional regions in the cortex, the part of the brain that brings the world that surrounds us into consciousness, and which governs our responses to the world. For example, we use "area 4" for the "motor" cortex, with which we control our muscles, "area 17" for "visual" cortex, with which we see, and so on. This nomenclature is used by neurologists and neurosurgeons in the human context, as well as by experimentalists in various animals. Indeed, Brodmann's famous "maps" of the cerebral cortex of humans, monkeys and other mammals must be among the most commonly reproduced figures in neurobiological publishing. The most famous of all is that of the human brain. There can be few textbooks of neurology, neurophysiology or neuroanatomy in which Brodmann is not cited, and his concepts pervade most research publications on systematic neurobiology.
Branching Morphogenesis
Branching morphogenesis, the creation of branched structures in the body, is a key feature of animal and plant development. This book brings together, for the first time, expert researchers working on a variety of branching systems to present a state-of-the-art view of the mechanisms that control branching morphogenesis. Systems considered range from single cells, to blood vessel and drainage duct systems to entire body plans, and approaches range from observation through experiment to detailed biophysical modelling. The result is an integrated overview of branching.
Bioactive components of milk
Of all food products dairy foods have the most potential concerning functional foods. Therefore, there is a tremendous amount of interest in value-added milk products and the identification of components in food which have health benefits. Bioactive Components of Milk provides an overview of these derived components and their diverse activities including: the stimulation of beneficial microflora, alerting the immune system to the presence of potential pathogens and allergens, binding and eliminating toxins, etc. The book is divided into four parts. The first part focuses on bioactive milk lipid components, which very widely among mammalian species. The second part describes different aspects of biological active colostrums and milk proteins and their derivatives, with special concern on species specific effects. The third part reviews the production of recombinant human proteins in the milk of livestock animals - including ethical issues - and the aims of altering milk composition for the benefit of both the animals themselves and the consumers. The final part focuses on the influence of ruminants nutrition on the biological activity of milk.
Bacterial Biofilms
This volume tends to focus on the biology of biofilms that affect human disease. It opens with chapters that provide the reader with current perspectives on biofilm development, physiology, environmental and regulatory effects, the role of quorum sensing, and resistance/phenotypic persistence to antimicrobial agents during biofilm growth. The next chapters are devoted to common problematic biofilms, those that colonize venous and urinary catheters. The final series of chapters examines biofilm formation by four species that are important pathogens and well studied models, one of which, Yersinia pestis, cleverly adopts a biofilm state of growth within its insect vector to promote disease transmission to mammalian hosts.
Asymmetric Cell Division
Cell biologists have recently become aware that the asymmetry of cell division is an important regulatory phenomenon in the fate of a cell. During development, cell diversity originates through asymmetry; in the adult organism asymmetric divisions regulate the stem cell reservoir and are a source of the drift that contributes to the aging of organisms with renewable cell compartments. Because of the concept of semi-conservative DNA synthesis, it was thought that the distribution of DNA between daughter cells was symmetric. The analysis of the phenomenon in cells during mitosis, however, revealed the asymmetry in the distribution of the genetic material that creates the drift contributing to aging of mammals. On the other hand, cancer cells can originate from a deregulation of asymmetry during mitosis in particular during stem cell expansion. The book describes the phenomenon in different organisms from plants to animals and addresses its implications for the development of the organism, cell differentiation, human aging and the biology of cancers.
Anatomical Imaging : Towards a New Morphology
This book presents selected works of contemporary evolutionary morphologists and includes such topics as broad scale reconstructions of the brain and ear of dinosaurs, inference of locomotor habits from cancellous bone architecture in fossil primates, and a comparison of the independently evolved manipulating apparatuses in the lesser and giant pandas. Insight is provided into the application of modern noninvasive technologies, including digital imaging techniques and virtual 3D reconstruction, to the investigation of complex anatomical features and coherences. In combination with traditional methods, this allows for the formulation of improved hypotheses on coordinated function and evolution. The creation of virtual translucent specimens makes it possible to realize the age-old dream of the classical anatomists: looking through the skin into the inner organization of an organism. On full display here is the dramatic and promising impact that modern imaging techniques have on scientific progress in evolutionary morphology.
African Biodiversity : molecules, organisms, ecosystems
BIOTA is an interdisciplinary research project focusing on sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity in Africa (http://www.biote-africa.de). Session titles were Biogeography and Speciation Processes, Phylogenetic Patterns and Systematics, Diversity Declines and Conservation, and Applied Biodiversity Informatics
Acoustic sensing techniques for the shallow water environment : Inversion methods and experiments
Contains the collection of papers from the second workshop on Experimental Acoustic Inversion Techniques for Exploration of the Shallow Water Environment. Acoustic techniques provide the most effective means for remote sensing of ocean and sea floor processes, and for probing the structure beneath the sea floor. No other energy propagates as efficiently in the ocean: radio waves and visible light are severely limited in range because the ocean is a highly conductive medium. However, sound from breaking waves and coastal shipping can be heard throughout the ocean, and marine mammals communicate acoustically over basin scale distances.
