The Unfolded Protein Response


Book Description

This volume is divided in six section covering the most experimental approaches involved in the study of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway. Chapters detail determination of unfolded protein levels, methods to study UPR signal transmission, analysing the outcomes of the UPR pathway activation, UPR studies in mammalian models, UPR in alternative models, and UPR and disease. Written in the format of the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, each chapter includes an introduction to the topic, lists necessary materials and reagents, includes tips on troubleshooting and known pitfalls, and step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols. Authoritative and cutting-edge, The Unfolded Protein Response: Methods and Protocols aims to describe key methods and approaches used in the study of the UPR pathway and its complex cellular implications. Chapter 6 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.




Autophagy: Cancer, Other Pathologies, Inflammation, Immunity, Infection, and Aging


Book Description

Autophagy: Cancer, Other Pathologies, Inflammation, Immunity, Infection, and Aging is an eleven volume series that discusses in detail all aspects of autophagy machinery in the context of health, cancer, and other pathologies. Autophagy maintains homeostasis during starvation or stress conditions by balancing the synthesis of cellular components and their deregulation by autophagy. This series discusses the characterization of autophagosome-enriched vaccines and its efficacy in cancer immunotherapy. Autophagy serves to maintain healthy cells, tissues, and organs, but also promotes cancer survival and growth of established tumors. Impaired or deregulated autophagy can also contribute to disease pathogenesis. Understanding the importance and necessity of the role of autophagy in health and disease is vital for the studies of cancer, aging, neurodegeneration, immunology, and infectious diseases. Comprehensive and forward-thinking, these books offer a valuable guide to cellular processes while also inciting researchers to explore their potentially important connections. - Presents the most advanced information regarding the role of the autophagic system in life and death - Examines whether autophagy acts fundamentally as a cell survivor or cell death pathway or both - Introduces new, more effective therapeutic strategies in the development of targeted drugs and programmed cell death, providing information that will aid in preventing detrimental inflammation - Features recent advancements in the molecular mechanisms underlying a large number of genetic and epigenetic diseases and abnormalities, including atherosclerosis and CNS tumors, and their development and treatment - Includes chapters authored by leaders in the field around the globe—the broadest, most expert coverage available




The Unfolded Protein Response in Cancer


Book Description

This volume presents state-of-the-art information on each of the arms of the unfolded protein response (UPR), how their activation/repression are regulated, integrated, and coordinated, how UPR components affect cancer cell biology and responsiveness to therapeutic interventions, and how UPR components/activities offer potentially novel targets for drug discovery, repurposing, and development. The volume will provide the most recent information on the signaling and regulation of the UPR, explore examples of how the UPR and/or specific components contribute to cancer biology, and identify and explore specific examples of potently new actionable targets for drug discovery and development from within the UPR and its regulation. Unique to the volume will be a specific focus on the UPR and its role in cancer biology, as well as a discussion of the role of the UPR in drug responses and resistance in cancer.




Preimplantation Embryo Development


Book Description

This volume contains the Proceedings of the Serono Symposium on Pre implantation Embryo Development, held in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1991. The idea for the symposium grew out of the 1989 Serono Symposium on Fertilization in Mammals* at which preimplantation development was the predominant suggestion for a follow-up topic. This was indeed a timely subject in view of the recent resurgence of interest in this funda mental phase of embryogenesis and its relevance to basic research and applied fertility studies in humans, food-producing animals, and endangered species. The symposium brought together speakers from a broad range of disciplines in order to focus on key regulatory mechanisms in embryo development, using a wide variety of animal models, and on representative topics in human preimplantation embryogenesis. The culmination of preimplantation development is a blastocyst con taining the first differentiated embryonic tissues and capable of initiating and sustaining pregnancy. The central objective of the symposium was to throw light on the regulation of cellular and molecular events underlying blastocyst formation. It was particularly appropriate that the date of the symposium marked the 20th anniversary of the publication of the classic volume Biology of the Blastocyst, the proceedings of an international workshop held in 1970. This book, which summarized most of the information then available on this topic in mammals, was edited by the pioneer in blastocyst research, Dr. Richard B1andau, who was the guest speaker at the symposium.




Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Health and Disease


Book Description

The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is an organelle with extraordinary signaling and homeostatic functions. It is the organelle responsible for protein folding, maturation, quality control and trafficking of proteins destined for the plasma membrane or for secretion into the extracellular environment. Failure, overloading or malfunctioning of any of the signaling or quality control mechanisms occurring in the ER may provoke a stress condition known as ‘ER stress’. Accumulating evidence indicates that ER stress may dramatically perturb interactions between the cell and its environment, and contribute to the development of human diseases, ranging from metabolic diseases and cancer to neurodegenerative diseases, or impact therapeutic outcome. This book primarily focuses on the pathophysiology of ER stress. It introduces the molecular bases of ER stress, the emerging relevance of the ER-mitochondria cross-talk, the signaling pathways engaged and cellular responses to ER stress, including the adaptive Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), autophagy as well as cell death. Next the book addresses the role of ER stress in physiology and in the etiology of relevant pathological conditions, like carcinogenesis and inflammation, neurodegeneration and metabolic disease. The last chapter describes how ER stress pathways can be targeted for therapeutic benefit. Altogether, this book will provide the reader with an exhaustive view of ER stress biology and the latest insights in the role of ER stress in relevant human diseases.




The Exocrine Pancreas


Book Description

The secretions of the exocrine pancreas provide for digestion of a meal into components that are then available for processing and absorption by the intestinal epithelium. Without the exocrine pancreas, malabsorption and malnutrition result. This chapter describes the cellular participants responsible for the secretion of digestive enzymes and fluid that in combination provide a pancreatic secretion that accomplishes the digestive functions of the gland. Key cellular participants, the acinar cell and the duct cell, are responsible for digestive enzyme and fluid secretion, respectively, of the exocrine pancreas. This chapter describes the neurohumoral pathways that mediate the pancreatic response to a meal as well as details of the cellular mechanisms that are necessary for the organ responses, including protein synthesis and transport and ion transports, and the regulation of these responses by intracellular signaling systems. Examples of pancreatic diseases resulting from dysfunction in cellular mechanisms provide emphasis of the importance of the normal physiologic mechanisms.




The Plant Endoplasmic Reticulum


Book Description

This volume presents a range of different techniques that have been used to characterize the structure and function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in higher plants. Chapters guide readers through application of modern microscopy techniques by fluorescence and electron microscopy, new protocols for analysing ER network structure, methods to purify and analyse ER membrane structure and to study protein glycosylation, protocols to study the unfolded protein response, and the role of the ER in autophagy. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, The Plant Endoplasmic Reticulum: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.




Handbook of Arsenic Toxicology


Book Description

Throughout history, arsenic has been used as an effective and lethal poison. Today, arsenic continues to present a real threat to human health all over the world, as it contaminates groundwater and food supplies. Handbook of Arsenic Toxicology presents the latest findings on arsenic, its chemistry, its sources and its acute and chronic effects on the environment and human health. The book takes readings systematically through the target organs, before detailing current preventative and counter measures. This reference enables readers to effectively assess the risks related to arsenic, and provide a comprehensive look at arsenic exposure, toxicity and toxicity prevention. - Brings together current findings on the effects of arsenic on the environment and human health - Includes state-of-the-art techniques in arsenic toxicokinetics, speciation and molecular mechanisms - Provides all the information needed for effective risk assessment, prevention and countermeasure




Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), Nanoparticles, and Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress-Induced Cell Death Mechanisms


Book Description

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), Nanoparticles, and Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress-Induced Cell Death Mechanisms presents the role of ROS?mediated pathways cellular signaling stress, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, oxidative stress, oxidative damage, nanomaterials, and the mechanisms by which metalloids and nanoparticles induce their toxic effects. The book covers the ecotoxicology of environmental heavy metal ions and free radicals on macromolecules cells organisms, heavy metals?induced cell responses, oxidative stress, the source of oxidants, and the roles of ROS, oxidative stress and oxidative damage mechanisms. It also examines the nanotoxicity, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity mechanisms of nanomaterials and the effects of nanoparticle interactions. Antioxidant defense therapy and strategies for treatment round out the book, making it an ideal resource for researchers and professional scientists in toxicology, environmental chemistry, environmental science, nanomaterials and the pharmaceutical sciences. - Covers the ecotoxicology of environmental heavy metal ions and the interactions between specific heavy metals?induced cell responses and oxidative stress - Provides a better understanding of the mechanism of nanomaterial-induced toxicity as a first defense for hazard prevention - Covers recent advances in new nanomedication technologies for the effects of NPs on oxidative stress, ROS and ER stress - Discusses the effects of interactions between antioxidant defense therapy, ROS and strategies for treatment




Current Research Topics in Plant Virology


Book Description

Topics covered in this book include RNA silencing and its suppression in plant virus infection, virus replication mechanisms, the association of cellular membranes with virus replication and movement, plant genetic resistance to viruses, viral cell-to-cell spread, long distance movement in plants, virus induced ER stress, virus diversity and evolution, virus-vector interactions, cross protection, geminiviruses, negative strand RNA viruses, viroids, and the diagnosis of plant viral diseases using next generation sequencing. This book was anticipated to help plant pathologists, scholars, professors, teachers and advanced students in the field with a comprehensive state-of-the-art knowledge of the subject.