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This book describes the newest discoveries on calcium signaling happening at the cellular and intracellular membranes, often exerted in so called microdomains. Calcium entry and release, its interaction with proteins and resulting events on proteins and organelles are comprehensively depicted by leading experts in the field. Knowledge about details of these highly dynamic processes rapidly increased in recent years, the book therefore provides a timely summary on the processes of calcium signaling and related membrane dynamics; it is aimed at students and researchers in biochemistry and cell biology.

The volumes in this authoritative series present a multidisciplinary approach to modeling and simulation of flows in the cardiovascular and ventilatory systems, especially multiscale modeling and coupled simulations. The cardiovascular and respiratory systems are tightly coupled, as their primary function is to supply oxygen to and remove carbon dioxide from the body's cells. Because physiological conduits have deformable and reactive walls, macroscopic flow behavior and prediction must be coupled to nano- and microscopic events in a corrector scheme of regulated mechanisms when the vessel lumen caliber varies markedly. Therefore, investigation of flows of blood and air in physiological conduits requires an understanding of the biology, chemistry, and physics of these systems together with the mathematical tools to describe their functioning. Volume 3 is devoted to the set of mediators of the cell surface, especially ion and molecular carriers and catalytic receptors that, once liganded and activated, initiate signal transduction pathways. Intracellular cascades of chemical reactions trigger the release of substances stored in cellular organelles and/or gene transcription and protein synthesis. Primary mediators are included in models of regulated cellular processes, but multiple secondary signaling components are discarded to allow simple, representative modeling and to manage their inverse problems.

Recognition receptors play a key role in the successful implementation of chemical and biosensors. Molecular recognition refers to non-covalent speci?c binding between molecules, one of which is typically a macromolecule or a molecular assembly, and the other is the target molecule (ligand or analyte). Biomolecular recognition is typically driven by many weak interactions such as hydrogen bo- ing, metal coordination, hydrophobic forces, van der Waals forces, pi-pi interactions and electrostatic interaction (due to permanent charges, dipoles, and quadrupoles) the polarization of charge distributions by the interaction partner leading to ind- tion and dispersion forces, and Pauli-exclusion-principle-derived inter-atomic repulsion, and a strong, “attractive” force arising largely from the entropy of the solvent and termed the hydrophobic effect. In recent years, there has been much progress in understanding the forces that drive the formation of such complexes, and how these forces are relate to the physical properties of the interacting molecules and their environment allows rational design of molecules and materials that interact in speci?c and desired ways. This book presents a signi?cant and up-to-date review of the various recognition elements, their immobilization, characterization techniques by a panel of dist- guished scientists. This work is a comprehensive approach to the recognition receptors area presenting a thorough knowledge of the subject and an effective integration of these receptors on sensor surfaces in order to appropriately convey the state-of the-art fundamentals and applications of the most innovative approaches.

Purinergic receptors are proteins that bind ATP as their extracellular ligand. Once thought only as an intracellular molecule that provides energy, ATP is also now considered an essential autocrine/paracrine agonist that acts extracellularly within tissues and tissue microenvironments. Receptors for ATP and its metabolites, so-called'purinergic receptors,'are essential membrane receptors that transduce the extracellular signal carried by ATP. Many cell types or tissues express multiple types of these receptors, often on the same cell. This volume will cover the history and overall impact of extracellular ATP signaling, methods to detect ATP release and signaling, the molecular and cell biology of purinergic receptors, the pharmacology of purinergic receptors, the ion channel biophysics and biochemistry of P2X purinergic receptor channels, and the physiology and pathophysiology of purinergic receptors.Key Features• Organized and written by world-renowned experts• Covers state-of-the-art experimental methods• Has broad appeal to basic and clinical scientists, the biotch industry and pharmaceutical research companies

Receptors for Extracellular Matrix covers the major receptor families and their potential biological functions. Composed of eight chapters, the book first discusses the structure and function of membrane-associated proteoglycans, focusing on two classes of integral membrane molecules: syndecan and CD44. It then examines the important area of mechanisms of signal transduction from integrin receptors that must mediate the effects of extracellular matrices and other ligands on cell behavior. Multidomain proteins of the extracellular matrix and their role in controlling cellular growth are also considered. This book also discusses the significant research developments in NCAM, the most abundant and widespread of the known vertebrate cell-cell adhesion. The discussion particularly emphasizes the role of posttranslational glycosylation with polysialic acid in the function of the NCAM molecule that undergoes unusual and highly characteristic differences in glycosylation during development. Other chapters deal with the regulation of neural development by the extracellular matrix and the molecular basis of cell adhesion. This book includes discussions on the interaction of adhesion receptors with well-characterized cellular recognition sites and extracellular ligands and cell migration occurring during embryogenesis, gastrulation, neural crest cell migration, neurite extension, lymphocyte migration, and wound healing. The concluding chapters address the wide array of integrin associations, their physiologic relevance and structural aspects, as well as the anchorin CII, a collagen-binding protein of the calpactin-lipocortin family. This book is of great value to cell biologists and researchers.

Volume 6 of Biomembranes covers transmembrane receptors and channels. A particularly important role for the membrane is that of passing messages between a cell and its environment. Part I of this volume covers receptors for hormones and growth factors. Here, as in so many other areas of cell biology, the application of the methods of molecular biology have led to the recognition of a number of families of receptors. Typically, such receptors contain an extracellular ligand binding domain, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular catalytic domain whose activation, as a result of ligand binding, leads to generation of second messengers within the cell and stimulation of a range of cytosolic enzymes. An alternative signaling strategy, exploited in particular in the nervous system, is to use ion channels to allow controlled movement of monovalent (Na+, K+) or divalent (Ca2+) cations in or out of the cell, resulting in changes in membrane potential or alterations in the intracellular concentration of Ca2+. Part II of this volume is concerned with these ion channels and with other, often simpler, ion channel systems whose study can throw light on channel mechanism.

The Receptors, Volume III deals with receptors for interferons, hormones, and growth factors as well as for?-aminobutyric acid, tuftsin, somatomedin, and insulin. Prolactin and nicotine receptors are also considered, along with the protein tyrosine kinase activity of hormone and growth factor receptors. Comprised of 12 chapters, this volume begins with a detailed account of secretory component (SC) as a receptor for polymeric immunoglobulins and the importance of SC-polymeric immunoglobulin A interactions in the mucosal immune system. The discussion then turns to interferon receptors and what is known about the fate of interferons and their receptors after binding; the use of muscimol in ligand-binding studies aimed at characterizing?-aminobutyric acid receptors; and the role of protease nexins in the interaction of proteases with cells and in the regulation of proteolytic activity in the interstitial fluid immediately surrounding cells. Subsequent chapters focus on receptor regulation of phosphoinositides and calcium; effects of phospholipid turnover on receptor function; dynamics of tuftsin receptors; and the structure, function, and regulation of somatomedin receptors. The book also examines the internalization and intracellular processing of insulin receptors before concluding with an analysis of prolactin and nicotine receptors. This monograph will be a valuable resource for students and practitioners in fields ranging from cell biology and biochemistry to physiology, endocrinology, and pharmacology.

The Receptors, Volume IV deals with receptors for intracellular hormones, estrogen, and sex steroids as well as for dopamine, cholecystokinin, and corticotropin. The role of surface recognition receptors in disease is also discussed, along with receptors for plant auxin action and auxin transport. Comprised of 11 chapters, this volume begins with a detailed account of the?-adrenergic receptor-coupled adenylate cyclase and the reconstitution of the functional interactions of its various purified components. The discussion then turns to the mechanism of action of steroid and thyroid hormones and how abnormalities in their receptors lead to disease; nuclear location of estrogen receptors; and the biochemistry of the fungal sex steroid receptors as well as the use of Achlya as a model system for the study of the mechanism of action of steroid hormones in general. Subsequent chapters focus on dopamine receptors; cholecystokinin receptor; corticotropin receptors; and the search for receptors that mediate sweetness. The book concludes with an analysis of endocrine receptors on lymphocytes and the integration of endocrine and immune systems, with emphasis on large granular lymphocytes. This monograph will be a valuable resource for students and practitioners in fields ranging from cell biology and biochemistry to physiology, endocrinology, and pharmacology.

The Receptors, Volume II deals with receptors for somatostatin, vitamin D, insulin, and animal viruses, as well as for the?2-adrenergic and Ah systems. The significance of translational modifications of receptor ligands is discussed, along with the mechanisms of receptor-ligand interactions. The role of receptors in development and their regulation by tumors are also considered. Comprised of 12 chapters, this volume begins with a detailed account of the vitamin D receptor, paying particular attention to its biochemical and physical properties as well as its mechanism of action. The discussion then turns to experimental discrimination between alternative mechanistic models for the receptor-mediated stimulation of adenylate cyclase; the role of microaggregation in hormone-receptor-effector interactions; and the biology and biochemistry of the Ah receptor. Subsequent chapters explore the interactions of animal viruses with cell surface receptors; insulin receptors; determination of the size of neurotransmitter receptors by radiation inactivation-target size analysis; and protein glycosylation and receptor-ligand interactions. This book will be a valuable resource for students and practitioners in fields ranging from cell biology and biochemistry to physiology, endocrinology, and pharmacology.