Crucial Role for Astrocytes in Epilepsy Peter Bedner, Christian Steinhauser This book summarizes current evidence of astrocyte dysfunction in epilepsy and discusses presumed underlying mechanisms. Epilepsy is characterized by the periodic occurrence of seizures. Currently available anticonvulsant drugs and therapies are insu... Publication Date: August, 2015
Astroglia and Brain Metabolism Arne Schousboe, Anne B. Walls, Lasse K. Bak, Helle S. Waagepetersen The present outline of astrocytic metabolic pathways involved in glucose and amino acid metabolism provides detailed information about the enzymatic pathways involved, as well as a description of the basic properties of the enzymes including regulato... Publication Date: July, 2015
The Neurovascular Unit and the Role of Astrocytes in the Regulation of Vascular Tone Jessica A. Filosa Optimal cerebral blood flow is coordinated by functional hyperemia and cerebral autoregulation. These processes ensure that the metabolic demands of the brain are met at all times. Both in vivo and in vitro studies support a role for astrocytes in th... Publication Date: June, 2015
The Renin-Angiotensin System and the Kidney Xiao C. Li, Jia L. Zhou The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is one of the most important endocrine (tissue-to-tissue), paracrine (cell-to-cell) and intracrine (intracellular/nuclear) humoral systems in the regulation of blood pressure, cardiovascular, and kidney function in ... Publication Date: March, 2015
Nitric Oxide in the Kidney Jennifer M. Sasser Nitric oxide (NO) is a key regulator of various cellular signaling pathways throughout the body and plays an important role in renal function under normal physiological and pathophysiological conditions. NO plays a major role in the regulation of ren... Publication Date: April, 2015
Developmental Genetics of the Pharyngeal Arch System Jeffry M. Cesario, Andre Landin Malt, Juhee Jeong The pharyngeal arches are embryonic structures that develop into the face, neck, a part of the heart, and several endocrine glands in animals. They are thought to have played a key role in vertebrate evolution as their derivatives impact the mode of ... Publication Date: May, 2015
Pathophysiology of Heat Stroke Lisa R. Leon This book outlines current research efforts that are focused on identifying better diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of organ injury due to heat illnesses such as heat exhaustion, heat injury, and heat stroke. The purpose of the research is to i... Publication Date: May, 2015
Retinal Glia Andreas Reichenbach, Andreas Bringmann In 1851, Heinrich Mueller discovered what he called "radial fibers" and what we now call Mueller cells, as the principal glial cells of the vertebrate retina. Later on, other glial cell types were found in the retina, including astrocytes, microglia,... Publication Date: March 20, 2015
Neuroglia in Infectious Brain Diseases Gwenn Skar, Jessica Snowden In this book, we present a discussion of the immune functions of neuroglia and their interactions with common infectious diseases in the brain. While most is known about microglia and astrocytes, as are extensively reviewed here, our understanding of... Publication Date: March 15, 2015
Physiology of Astroglia Alexei Verkhratsky, Vladimir Parpura Astrocytes can be defined as glia inhabiting the nervous system with the main function in the maintenance of nervous tissue homeostasis. Classified into several types according to their morphological appearance, many of astrocytes form a reticular st... Publication Date: March 8, 2015
A Journey Through Genetics, Part II Karobi Moitra A Journey Through Genetics Part II is designed to continue on the incredible journey initiated in Part I to explore the exciting discoveries in genetics and molecular biology. In Part I, the reader embarked on a genetic odyssey that started wi... Publication Date: 09/01/2014
A Journey Through Genetics, Part I Karobi Moitra A Journey Through Genetics is designed to take the reader on an incredible journey to explore the exciting discoveries in genetics and molecular biology. In Part I, the reader will embark on a genetic odyssey starting with the "Father of Genetics," G... Publication Date: 11/01/2013
From Immunotherapy of Cancer to the Discovery of Kidney Cancer Genes Berton Zbar I had the good fortune to work at the National Cancer Institute from 1965 to 2005. The National Cancer Institute provided an environment that permitted my curiosity to flourish. Colleagues, particularly Marston Linehan, were essential to performance ... Publication Date: 03/01/2013
X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy Stephane Savary, Doriane Trompier X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is the most common leukodystrophy and the most frequent peroxisomal disorder, with an estimated incidence of 1:17,000. This complex neurodegenerative disorder is characterized by a huge clinical variability both ... Publication Date: 03/01/2013
Genetics of Epilepsy and Refractory Epilepsy Alberto Lazarowski, Liliana Czornyj Epilepsy affects approximately 3% of the population, and is usually defined as a tendency to experience recurrent seizures arising from periodic neuronal hyperexcitability of unknown causes. Different genetic factors, through various mechanisms, can ... Publication Date: 03/01/2013
ABC Transporters in Human Disease Karobi Moitra The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter genes are ubiquitous in the genomes of all vertebrates so far studied. The human ABC transporter superfamily contains 48 genes, subdivided into 7 subfamilies ranging from A to G (based on sequence homology o... Publication Date: 04/01/2012
Pattern Formation in the Cerebellum Carol Armstrong, Richard Hawkes Pattern formation has fascinated biologists since the time of Aristotle, but only recently have new tools begun to reveal the underlying mechanisms that create these patterns during development. In particular, the central nervous system is dynamicall... Publication Date: 10/01/2013
Development of the Hypothalamus Stuart Tobet, Kristy McClellan The involvement of key factors operating independently or in cooperation with others contributes to physical and physiological mechanisms to help engineer a vertebrate hypothalamus. The actions of these key factors influence developmental mechanisms ... Publication Date: 04/01/2013
Stress and the Developing Brain Lisa Wright, Tara Perrot The human brain does not develop in a vacuum according to a set of predetermined blueprints; it is involved in a dynamic interplay with the environment that influences gene expression and ultimately structure and function. Some cortical regions, such... Publication Date: 12/01/2012
Endocrine Disruptors and The Developing Brain Andrea C. Gore, Sarah M. Dickerson Exposure to environmental chemicals with the potential to alter endocrine system function, known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), may be contributing to an overall decline in wildlife populations and the reproductive health of humans. <... Publication Date: 03/01/2012
Linking the World's Information When Sir Tim Berners-Lee first proposed the foundations of the World Wide Web at CERN in 1989, his manager called it “vague, but exciting...