This book provides an overview of microgravity-induced changes in human metabolism, muscle, bone and the cardio-vascular system, and discusses in detail the nutrient uptake required during spaceflight to counteract these adaptive mechanisms and ensure an improved physical constitution upon returning to Earth. It addresses the needs of professors, researchers and students working in the field of human physiology and nutrition.

In this thought-provoking book, Denis Noble formulates the theory of biological relativity, emphasising that living organisms operate at multiple levels of complexity and must therefore be analysed from a multi-scale, relativistic perspective. Noble explains that all biological processes operate by means of molecular, cellular and organismal networks. The interactive nature of these fundamental processes is at the core of biological relativity and, as such, challenges simplified molecular ...

This book provides the first comprehensive coverage of the quickly evolving research field of membrane contact sites (MCS). A total of 16 chapters explain their organization and role and unveil the significance of MCS for various diseases.MCS, the intracellular structures where organellar membranes come in close contact with one another, mediate the exchange of proteins, lipids, and ions. Via these functions, MCS are critical for the survival and the growth of the cell. Owing to th...

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors have played a key role in the advancement of knowledge of pharmacology and neurotransmission since the inception of studies in these fields, and the effects of naturally occurring drugs acting on muscarinic receptors were known and exploited for both therapeutic and non-therapeutic purposes for hundreds of years before the existence of the receptors themselves was recognized. This volume presents a broad yet detailed review of current knowledge of muscari...

During pubertal development of the testes, germ cells pass initially through the complete succession of spermatogenic differentiation. Using the golden hamster as a model, this volume presents a comprehensive analysis of that establishing period of mammalian spermatogenesis. Detailed morphological and cell kinetic data of the pubertal seminiferous epithelium reveal a level of cellular organization and synchronization coming near to the adult situation. Characteristic, temporarily occurring...

Defining and understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms that are relevant to women’s health has become a critical area of scientific pursuit. Until recently, very little effort has been place on defining or understanding critical differences between women and men that may be critical to the overall health of the woman. In 1990, the National Institutes of Health recognized this gap in knowledge resulting in the creation of the Office of Research on Women’s Health. One of the purposes o...

Humans and flies look nothing alike, yet their genetic circuits are remarkably similar. Here, Lewis I. Held, Jr compares the genetics and development of the two to review the evidence for deep homology, the biggest discovery from the emerging field of evolutionary developmental biology. Remnants of the operating system of our hypothetical common ancestor 600 million years ago are compared in chapters arranged by region of the body, from the nervous system, limbs and heart, to vision, heari...

This book elucidates the mechanisms involved in biological membrane functions.It describes the new modalities and characterization for basic in vitro as well as computer models of biological membranes. Biological membranes are analyzed in terms of advances in molecular dynamics.The individual chapters provide an in depth analysis of images from various biological models. The potential of membrane models in the context of treatment trials is discussed. The authors present ne...

This book discusses the two different cellular approaches that are pursued in regenerative medicine: cell therapy and tissue engineering. It examines in detail the therapeutic application of hematopoietic stem cells in marrow regeneration, multi-potent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), also referred to as mesenchymal stromal cells. The interest in MSCs can be seen in more than 150 clinical trials, some of which have progressed to Phase III, despite the cells’ limited differentiation potential...

Progression of chronic diseases in general and chronic kidney disease in particular has been traditionally viewed in the light of various contributors to development of glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial scarring culminating in renal fibrosis. Indeed, this dogma prevailed for decades underscoring experimental attempts to halt fibrotic processes. Breakthrough investigations of the past few years on stem/progenitor cell involvement in organ regeneration caused a conceptual shift in ta...

This book presents a large amount of information related to the heat shock response and heat shock factor (HSF), describes core observations about molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological roles, and provides fundamental concepts on the basis of information from diverse aspects. This adaptive response to high temperature or protein misfolding is a fundamental mechanism to maintain the capacity of protein homeostasis, or proteostasis, and is evolutionally conserved among all living organi...