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JAK tyrosine kinases and STAT transcription factors constitute a signaling pathway, which is activated by cytokines. By activating gene transcription it regulates essential biological responses to environmental cues. The Jak-Stat pathway is involved in the regulation of cell development, differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. Improper function may contribute to hematopoietic malignancies and cancer. This book provides comprehensive insights into the latest basic and clinical developments in the field. The first part reviews recent findings and new technologies pertaining to basics of Jak-Stat function. The second part describes the evolution of Jak-Stat signaling and the role of the pathway in invertebrate organisms. The third part focuses on Jak-Stat signaling in hematopoietic cells under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Finally, chapters in the fourth section describe the relationship of Jak-Stat signaling to various states of disease, particularly infection, leukemias and solid cancers. The book is intended for all scientists in molecular biology, biochemistry and cell biology dealing with biomedical issues.

The dysregulation of the normal cell cycle underlies an enormous number of pathological conditions, including the neurodegenerative disorders, all cancers, and diabetes. In Cell Cycle Control and Dysregulation Protocols: Cyclins, Cyclin-Dependent Kinases, and Other Factors, expert laboratorians detail emerging methodologies for studying the cell cycle, its kinases, and kinase inhibitors. The authors focus on issues of gene expression in vivo and in vitro, the analysis of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, protein degradation mediated by the proteosome, the analysis of the transformed cell phenotype, and innovative techniques to detect apoptosis. Many of the protocols are new, such as electron microsocopy to detect apoptosis and proteosome-mediated degradation, whereas others study the interactions between protein-protein, protein-DNA, and protein-RNA. The protocols follow the successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, each one offering step-by-step laboratory instructions, an introduction outlining the principle behind the technique, lists of the necessary equipment and reagents, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. State-of-the-art and highly practical, Cell Cycle Control and Dysregulation Protocols: Cyclins, Cyclin-Dependent Kinases, and Other Factors offers pathbreaking researchers powerful tools for probing the cell cycle regulation across a wide variety of pathologies.