Apoptosis, Cell Signaling, and Human Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms, Volumes 1 and 2, present a concise synthesis of recent developments in the understanding of both cell survival and apoptotic pathways. Particular attention is given to apoptosis in human diseases, such as different forms of cancer. These comprehensive volumes integrate the most innovative and current findings. The contributors are at the forefront of scientific discovery.

These volumes present a concise synthesis of recent developments in the understanding of both cell survival and apoptotic pathways. Particular attention is given to apoptosis in human diseases, such as different forms of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. These comprehensive volumes integrate the most innovative and current findings from several related disciplines of scientific research, including pathology, genetics, virology, cell biology, immunology, and molecular biology.

Apoptosis, Cell Signaling, and Human Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms, Volumes 1 and 2, present a concise synthesis of recent developments in the understanding of both cell survival and apoptotic pathways. Particular attention is given to apoptosis in human diseases, such as different forms of cancer. These comprehensive volumes integrate the most innovative and current findings. The contributors are at the forefront of scientific discovery.

A 2005 survey of the role of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of many significant human illnesses and injury states.

This book uniquely relates the broad impact of signal transduction research on the understanding and treatment of human disease. There have been significant advances in the area of signaling in disease processes, yet no resource presently connects these advances with understanding of disease processes and applications for novel therapeutics. Given the emphasis on translational research and biological relevance in biotechnology, and, conversely, the importance of molecular approaches for clinical research, it is evident that a single resource bridging signaling research and human disease will be invaluable.

Targeting the key active elements in the mechanism and application of apoptosis and its therapeutic implications, Apoptosis: Modern Insights into Disease from Molecules to Man covers apoptosis from A to Z. Comprehensive in scope, it explores a wide range of topics including various cancers, asthma, and multiple sclerosis as well as alcohol induced

Phagocytosis has been at the forefront of cell biology for more than a century. Initially, phagocytosis, which comes from Greek words meaning “devouring cells,” was discovered in the late 19th century by Ilya Metchnikoff, who was awarded, together with Paul Ehrlich, the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1908 “in recognition of their work on immunity.” At that time Metchnikoff had already identified a function for phagocytes not only in host defense but also as scavengers of degenerating host cells during metamorphosis of tadpoles, thus providing one of the first descriptions of apoptotic cell clearance by macrophages (Kaufmann 2008). Since then, much has been learned about phagocytosis, and the previous several decades have witnessed outstanding progress in understanding the functions and the molecular mechanisms of phagocytosis. Two main types of targets are cleared by phagocytosis: microbial pathogens and dying cells. Rapid recognition and clearance of dying cells by phagocytes plays a pivotal role in development, maintenance of tissue homeostasis, control of immune responses, and resolution of inflammation. Clearance of dying cells can be divided into several stages, including sensing, r- ognition, binding and signaling, internalization, and immunological responses. In this book, our contributors address these different stages of dead cell cle- ance and examine how impaired clearance of dying cells may lead to human d- eases. We have attempted to provide sufficient cross-referencing and indexing to enable the reader to easily locate the ideas elaborated in the different chapters.

The impact of Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is thought to play a crucial role in the development and progression of disease. Whilst Apoptosis remains extensively studied in the context of immunology, the focus of research has greatly expanded to investigate the key role it is now believed to play in hematopoiesis, angiogenesis, inflammation

Apoptosis is currently one of the fastest moving fields in biology with spectacular progress made over the past few years in delineating the molecular It is now indisputable that apoptosis mechanisms which underlie this process. plays an essential role in normal cell physiology and that aberrant apoptosis can manifest itself in a variety of human disorders. Published in two parts (Volumes 23 and 24 of the series entitled Results and Problems in Cell Differen tiation), this is an attempt to bring together many different aspects of apoptosis. Given that this is such a vast and rapidly expanding field, it is almost impossible to cover everything that is now known about apoptosis in two short books, but 1 hope these volumes prove to be a guidepost, providing basic essential information on the biology and molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and its implications in some human diseases. As a significant am o unt of new information on apoptosis is emerging every week, it is unrealistic to expect that by the time these two books are published, all the articles will deliver up-to-date information. Nevertheless, 1 believe that the fundamentals of the apoptotic phenomenon are now firmly in place and are discussed at length in various chapters. Readers may find a small degree of overlap between some chapters. This was unavoidable since closely related areas of apoptosis research have been covered by more than one author.