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Receptors in the Evolution and Development of the Brain: Matter into Mind presents the key role of receptors and their cognate ligands in wiring the mammalian brain from an evolutionary developmental biology perspective. It examines receptor function in the evolution and development of the nervous system in the large vertebrate brain, and discusses rapid eye movement sleep and apoptosis as mechanisms to destroy miswired neurons. Possible links between trophic deficits and connectional diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS are also discussed. This book is extremely useful to those with an interest in the molecular and cellular neurosciences, including those in cognitive and clinical branches of this subject, and anyone interested in how the incredibly complex human brain can build itself. Provides an understanding of the key role receptors play in brain development and the selection process necessary to construct a large brain Traces the evolution of receptors from the most primitive organisms to humans Emphasizes the roles that REM sleep and apoptosis play in this selection via trophic factors and receptors Describes the role that trophic factor-receptor interactions play throughout life and how trophic deficits can lead to connectional diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS Provides a potential mechanism whereby neuronal stem cells can cure these diseases

Glioma Signaling is a text reference on cellular signaling processes focused on the mechanism of nucleotide receptors activation by exogenic nucleotides and the formation of complex signaling cascades, including cytoplasmic transcription factors, induced by growth factors, cytokines and cannabinoids. The book provides a framework explaining how signal transduction elements may modulate glioma cytoskeleton structure, cytoplasmic calcium concentration changes, cellular growth, progression and invasion, as well as presents perspective concerning potential targets for glioma therapy.

Mammalian Toll-like receptors (TLRs) were first identified in 1997 based on their homology with Drosophila Toll, which mediates innate immunity in the fly. In recent years, the number of studies describing TLR expression and function in the nervous system has been increasing steadily and expanding beyond their traditional roles in infectious diseases to neurodegenerative disorders and injury. Interest in the field serves as the impetus for this volume in the Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology series entitled'Toll-like receptors: Roles in Infection and Neuropathology'. The first five chapters highlight more traditional roles for TLRs in infectious diseases of the CNS. The second half of the volume discusses recently emerging roles for TLRs in non-infectious neurodegenerative diseases and the challenges faced in these models with identifying endogenous ligands. Several conceptual theories are introduced in various chapters that deal with the dual nature of TLR engagement and whether these signals favor neuroprotective versus neurodegenerative outcomes. This volume should be informative for both experts as well as newcomers to the field of TLRs in the nervous system based on its coverage of basic TLR biology as well as specialization to discuss specific diseases of the nervous system where TLR function has been implicated. A must read for researchers interested in the dual role of these receptors in neuroinfection and neurodegeneration.

This book details our progress in understanding the receptor and intracellular signaling mechanisms utilized by semaphorins. It covers the entire semaphorin field from neurosciences to cardiovascular research and beyond, detailing all the latest techniques and results. The comprehensive overview of semaphorin biology and signaling presented in this book allows one to compare semaphorin functions between different biological systems.

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute a large superfamily of proteins that have been historically well represented as drug targets. As such, many of the volumes within The Receptors series have focused their attention on rec- tor subfamilies in the GPCR superfamily (e. g., adrenergic, serotonergic, do- minergic). While chemokine receptors are relatively young, in terms of the knowledge that has accumulated regarding their roles in physiology and pat- logy, it is clear that this GPCR subfamily is dwar? ng all others with respect to the total number of receptors and their functional diversity. The breadth of the chemokine? eld was not fully appreciated in the early days of chemokine d- covery, when the characterization of these molecules was largely a curiosity of a small set of biologists primarily interested in in? ammation. Presently, the? eld of chemokinology is quite diverse, and it is nearly impossible to stay informed on all aspects of chemokine biology. Nonetheless, this book seeks to distill information regarding the molecular and cell biology, physiology, and pathology of chemokines and their receptors into a single volume, providing an excellent resource for those entering the? eld or the most experienced c- mokinologist seeking new insights. In the chapters, leading authorities consider structural and cellular aspects of chemokines and chemokine receptors, and more notably, discuss the roles of these molecules in a variety of disease states that transcend their classically de? ned role(s) in in? ammation.

Over the last 30 years, our understanding of a receptors has undergone a colossal evolution. They began as theoretical entities, then progressed to enigmatic receptors, and finally to identified proteins with important biological functions. Since the first book on a receptors was published in 1994, there have been many significant advances in the field. We now know that o receptors subserve many critical functions in the body and recent studies indicate that they are promising drug development targets for a host of neurological, psychiatric, cardiovascular, ophthalmological, immunological, and gastrointestinal disorders. This book provides a timely update on the medicinal chemistry, cell biology, and clinical implications of a receptors. It puts the information in a historical perspective to help new comers to the field successfully navigate the confusing early history surrounding these proteins, and it provides a launching point from which future studies and research directions can easily be developed. The full impact of a receptors on biological function has yet to be determined. The existing gaps in our knowledge base offer untold opportunities for future research. It is our hope that the information contained in this book will stimulate new, exciting research on a receptors and ultimately lead to innovative insights into basic biological mechanisms and novel therapeutic advances.

This book provides a broad base of knowledge of G-protein-coupled receptors. Useful at both the university and industrial levels, this book is of particular interest to those who are developing therapeutic approaches to diseases using drugs that influence receptor activation.

Cell Surface Receptors: A Short Course on Theory and Methods, 3rd Edition, links theoretical insights into drug-receptor interactions described in mathematical models with the experimental strategies to characterize the biological receptor of interest. The study of receptors has changed considerably over the period of the publication of the three editions of this book. The cloning of several genomes makes it unlikely that preparations of receptors now or in the future will arise from their purification as trace proteins from native tissues, but rather from a myriad of molecular approaches. Nonetheless, understanding the molecular mechanisms and ultimately the in vivo biology of these receptors means that investigators will engage in molecular, cellular and ultimate in vivo strategies. It should be of value to investigators who want to identify, characterize and understand the biology of a receptor of interest.

Covering recently developed methods in membrane-bound receptors, this book emphasizes receptor structure and function, knowledge of which is essential to the study of signal transduction.G Protein-Coupled Receptors has culled contributors from domestic and international sources, providing a broad base of knowledge. Some topics covered are the r

The field of signal transduction research is one of the fastest growing in all of biomedical research in recent years. Signaling through cell adhesion molecules have long been of interest because of their importance in embryonic development, homeostasis, immune responses, wound healing, and malignant transformation. However, it is only recently re

Methods in Neurosciences, Volume 11: Receptors: Model Systems and Specific Receptors is a compilation of papers that describes techniques and information that are important to the neurosciences. This volume discusses preferred receptor techniques, molecular techniques, and methods to determine receptor subclasses and localization in the ligand design. The first paper discusses the steroid receptor found in the central nervous system for steroid hormones that affects strongly the structure and function of both developed and immature nervous systems. Another paper describes how a glycoprotein of 79.5 kDa (transferrin) carries iron in the blood stream for delivery to different tissues, after the transferrin has bound with a specific receptor on the surface of the cell. This book also explains the binding sites of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide in the human brain, while one paper analyzes the neurotensin receptors during the primary culture of neurons. This volume then also analyzes the structure and function of the fast nerve growth factor receptor, particularly how a signal on the outside of a cell is transmitted to the cell's interior. This collection is helpful for microbiologists, cellular researchers, students, and professors in the discipline of neurosciences.