Extracellular Composite Matrices in Arthropods


Book Description

Emphasis is placed on the elaborate cuticular matrices in insects and crustaceans, spider and insect silks, sialomes of phytophagous and blood-feeding arthropods as well as on secretions of male and female accessory glands. Focus is placed largely on insects, due to the extensive body of published research that in part is the result of available whole genome sequences of several model species (in particular Drosophila melanogaster) and accessible ESTs for other species. Such advances have facilitated fundamental insights into genomic, proteomic and molecular biology-based physiology. This new volume contains comprehensive contributions on extracellular composite matrices in arthropods. The building blocks of such matrices are formed in and secreted by single layered epithelial cells into exterior domains where their final assembly takes place.Additionally, the unique mechanical properties of natural biocomposites like chitin/chitosan, the crustacean mineralized exoskeleton, the pliant protein resilin or insect and spider silks, have inspired basic and applied research that yield sophistical biomimetics and structural biocomposite hybrids important for future industrial and biomedical use. In summary, this book provides an invaluable vast source of basic and applied information for a plethora of scientists as well as textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate students.




Extracellular Sugar-Based Biopolymers Matrices


Book Description

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an acellular three-dimensional network composed of proteins, glycoproteins, proteoglycans and exopolysaccharides. It primarily serves as a structural component in the tissues and organs of plants and animals, or forms biofilms in which bacterial cells are embedded. ECMs are highly dynamic structures that undergo continuous remodeling, and disruptions are frequently the result of pathological processes associated with severe diseases such as arteriosclerosis, neurodegenerative illness or cancer. In turn, bacterial biofilms are a source of concern for human health, as they are associated with resistance to antibiotics. Although exopolysaccharides are crucial for ECM formation and function, they have received considerably little attention to date. The respective chapters of this book comprehensively address such issues, and provide reviews on the structural, biochemical, molecular and biophysical properties of exopolysaccharides. These components are abundantly produced by virtually all taxa including bacteria, algae, plants, fungi, invertebrates and vertebrates. They include long unbranched homopolymers (cellulose, chitin/chitosan), linear copolymers (alginate, agarose), peptoglycans such as murein, heteropolymers like a variety of glycosaminoglycans (hyaluronan, dermatan, keratin, heparin, Pel), and branched heteropolymers such as pectin and hemicellulose. A separate chapter is dedicated to modern industrial and biomedical applications of exopolysaccharides and polysaccharide-based biocomposites. Their unique chemical, physical and mechanical properties have attracted considerable interest, inspired basic and applied research, and have already been harnessed to form structural biocomposite hybrids for tailor-made applications in regenerative medicine, bioengineering and biosensor design. Given its scope, this book provides a substantial source of basic and applied information for a wide range of scientists, as well as valuable textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate students.




Targeting Chitin-containing Organisms


Book Description

This book provides a comprehensive overview of chitin biology and chitin metabolism related enzymes. Chitin, the second most abundant biopolymer in nature after to cellulose, is a linear biopolymer composed of β-1,4-linked N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), and an essential component in the exoskeletons of insects, mites, ticks and crustaceans, the egg shells of parasitic nematodes, and fungal cell walls. Although some chitin-containing organisms are a threat to human health, food safety and agricultural production, non-chitin containing organisms like humans, mammals and plants have an innate immune response to these hazardous organisms. The book provides researchers and students with information on the recent research advances concerning the biology of chitin-containing organisms as well as cross-talks between chitin-containing and non-chitin-containing organisms. Highlighting chitin remodeling enzymes and inhibitors, it also offers drug developers essential insights into designing specific molecules for the control of hazardous chitin-containing organisms.




Trends in Insect Molecular Biology and Biotechnology


Book Description

This book provides an overview on the basics in insect molecular biology and presents the most recent developments in several fields such as insect genomics and proteomics, insect pathology and applications of insect derived compounds in modern research. The book aims to provide a common platform for the molecular entomologist to stimulate further research in insect molecular biology and biotechnology. Insects are one of the most versatile groups of the animal kingdom. Due to their large population sizes and adaptability since long they attract researchers’ interest as efficient resource for agricultural and biotechnological purposes. Several economically important insects such as Silkworms, Honey Bee, Lac and Drosophila or Termites were established as invertebrate model organisms. Starting with the era of genetic engineering, a broad range of molecular and genetic tools have been developed to study the molecular biology of these insects in detail and thus opened up a new horizon for multidisciplinary research. Nowadays, insect derived products are widely used in biomedical and biotechnology industries. The book targets researchers from both academia and industry, professors and graduate students working in molecular biology, biotechnology and entomology.




Insect cuticle – Chitin, Catecholamine and Chemistry of Complexation


Book Description

Advances in Insect Physiology, Volume 62, the latest release in this ongoing series, highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on a variety of timely topics. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors. - Provides the authority and expertise of leading contributors from an international board of authors - Presents the latest release in the Advances in Insect Physiology series




Advances in Insect Physiology


Book Description

Advances in Insect Physiology, Volume 59, examines the molecular and developmental origins of insect extended phenotypes, their diverse physiological functions, their consequences for the ecology and evolution of insects, and their biotic partners. Chapters cover recent ideas about the significance and roles of extended phenotypes and provide overviews of the latest advances. Written for a broad audience of researchers and students, the book's chapters establish extended phenotypes as focal structures for understanding genotype-to-phenotype maps, the origins and consequences of complex traits among multiple interacting partners, and the roles they may play in providing resilience against climate change. - Compiles and synthesizes the latest advances in understanding extended phenotypes - Provides detailed information on molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning formation and control of extended phenotypes - Gives comprehensive implications of extended phenotypes for ecology, evolution and applied systems




Emerging Technologies In Biophysical Sciences: A World Scientific Reference (In 3 Volumes)


Book Description

Volume 1:Biofabrication aims to produce artificially manufactured tissues and organs, potentially revolutionizing conventional paradigm of clinical practice in treating diseases and extending the life span and quality of human beings. In this volume, we invite notable experts in the field of biofabrication and biomanufacturing to summarize recent rapid progress in this field from multifaceted aspects covering biofabrication techniques and building materials such as scaffold and living cells. Specifically, a focus is placed on a variety of techniques derived from 3D bioprinting and bioassembly strategies, such as acoustic assembly and electrofabrication. Moreover, principles and strategies for choosing hydrogels and polymers for biofabrication are also heavily discussed. Overall, this book creates a good opportunity for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as bioengineers and medical researchers who wish to gain a fundamental understanding of current status and future trends in biofabrication and biomanufacturing.Volume 2:Infertility has become a significant psychosocial burden affecting the lives of couples who cannot reproduce naturally. Advanced reproductive technologies (ARTs) are being developed to treat infertility. This handbook explores significant development of ARTs for fertility testing, selection of sperm, oocyte and embryo, reproductive monitors, automation in embryology, and fertility preservation. This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the myriad of emerging technologies and systems that are being utilized or will be utilized in near future in reproductive clinics. Overall this book creates a good opportunity for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as scientists and medical researchers who wish to gain fundamental understanding of current status and future trends in fertility and reproductive medicine.Volume 3:Healthcare industry has a notable paradigm transition from centralized care to the point-of-care (POC). During this metamorphosis, a number of new technologies and strategies have been adapted to the current practice, addressing the existing challenges in the fields of medicine and biology. All the efforts aim to improve the clinical management and the effectiveness and quality of care. In particular, diagnostics has pivotal roles in guiding clinical management for the most effective treatment to control and cure the disease. In contrast to the existing diagnostic strategies employing bulky-sized tools, expensive infrastructure, laborious protocols, and lengthy processing steps, the contribution of biosensors to current healthcare system, especially to diagnostics, is paramount. The unprecedented and admirable characteristics of biosensing strategies have expanded our knowledge on medicine and biology by harmonizing materials science, chemistry, physics, and engineering. We believe that biosensors applied to disease diagnostics will not only garner more attention in clinical research to decipher disease biology and mechanism, and also, stimulate innovative perspectives in artificial intelligence (AI) and internet of things (IoT) synergistically, thereby their more facile adaptation to daily-use. Overall this book creates a good opportunity for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as scientists and medical researchers who wish to gain fundamental understanding of current status and future trends in diagnostic technologies.




Tick-Host-Pathogen Interactions


Book Description

Besides causing direct damage associated with blood feeding and in some cases through the excretion of toxins with their saliva, the main relevance of ticks lies in the wide variety of pathogens that they can transmit, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa and helminths. Owing to socioeconomic and environmental changes, tick distribution is changing with incursions of ticks and tick-borne diseases occurring in different regions of the world when the widespread deployment of chemical acaricides and repellents has led to the selection of resistance in multiple populations of ticks. New approaches that are environmentally sustainable and that provide broad protection against current and future tick-borne pathogen (TBP) are thus urgently needed. Such development, however, requires improved understanding of factors resulting in vector competence and tick-host-pathogen interactions. This Research Topic provides an overview of known molecular tick-host-pathogen interactions for a number of TBPs and highlights how this knowledge can contribute to novel control and prevention strategies for tick-borne diseases.




Marine Organisms as Model Systems in Biology and Medicine


Book Description

This book highlights the potential advantages of using marine invertebrates like tunicates, echinoderms, sponges and cephalopods as models in both biological and medical research. Bioactive compounds found in marine organisms possess antibacterial, antifungal, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory properties, and can affect the immune and nervous systems. Despite substantial research on the medicinal attributes of various marine invertebrates, they are still very much underrepresented in scientific literature: the majority of cell, developmental and evolutionary scientific journals only publish research conducted on a few well-known model systems like Drosophila melanogaster or Xenopus laevis. Addressing that gap, this book introduces readers to new model organisms like starfish or nemertera. By showing their benefits with regard to regeneration, stem cell research and Evo-Devo, the authors provide a cross-sectional view encompassing various disciplines of biological research. As such, this book will not only appeal to scientists currently working on marine organisms, but will also inspire future generations to pursue research of their own.




Evolutionary Ecology of Plant-Herbivore Interaction


Book Description

Plant-herbivore interactions are a central topic in evolutionary ecology. Historically, their study has been a cornerstone for coevolutionary theory. Starting from classic ecological studies at the phenotypic level, it has since expanded to molecular and genomic approaches. After a historical perspective, the book’s subsequent chapters cover a wide range of topics: from populations to ecosystems; plant- and herbivore-focused studies; in natural and in man-modified ecosystems; and both micro- and macro-evolutionary levels. All chapters include valuable background information and empirical evidence. Given its scope, the book will be of interest to both students and researchers, and will hopefully stimulate further research in this exciting field of evolutionary biology.