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The book is a collection of original research and review articles addressing the intriguing field of the cellular and molecular players involved in muscle homeostasis and regeneration. One of the most ambitious aspirations of modern medical science is the possibility of regenerating any damaged part of the body, including skeletal muscle. This desire has prompted clinicians and researchers to search for innovative technologies aimed at replacing organs and tissues that are compromised. In this context, the papers, collected in this book, addressing a specific aspects of muscle homeostasis and regeneration under physiopathologic conditions, will help us to better understand the underlying mechanisms of muscle healing and will help to design more appropriate therapeutic approaches to improve muscle regeneration and to counteract muscle diseases.
In Vivo Models of Inflammation (Vol. 1) provides biomedical researchers in both the pharmaceutical industry and academia with a description of the state-of-the-art animal model systems used to emulate diseases with components of inflammation. This second edition acts as a complement to the first, describing and updating the standard models that are most utilized for specific disease areas. New models are included exploring emerging areas of inflammation research.
Extracellular Matrix (ECM) has been considered for a long time merely a scaffold sustaining cell and tissue function. Despite this simplistic view shared by many, nowadays ECM and their mechanic-physical and chemical characteristic acquired a progressive larger role actively regulating cell life: survival, proliferation, gene expression and differentiation. The interplay between cells and the ECM is continuously controlled at the cell level in a dynamic way. While cells synthesize the raw components of the ECM, this in turn impacts on cell function by providing chemical, topographical and mechanical hints. Such stimuli have been proven to control several aspects of cell function, including s...
This book clearly explains when and how different rehabilitation techniques should be applied in the aging patient, thereby enabling readers to identify and apply those rehabilitation strategies that will maximize quality of life and functional independence in individual cases. It is specifically designed for ease of consultation and rapid retrieval of the information most relevant to clinical practice. Prominence is given to the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation, with discussion of a very wide range of aspects of rehabilitation in different disease settings. The breadth of coverage is illustrated by the attention paid to less commonly addressed topics such as visual and hearing rehabilitation, the role of robotics and 3D imaging techniques, variations in approach among health care systems, and rehabilitation in end-of-life care. The authors are international academic experts in their fields, guaranteeing a high scientific standard throughout. This manual will be an invaluable tool and source of knowledge for geriatricians and physiatrists but will also appeal to a wider range of clinicians, practitioners, and students.
Primary and secondary source documents discuss the potential of stem cell research and use, the politics of stem cell research, the history of the research, and international trends in stem cell research.
Skeletal muscle development is perhaps one of the best understood processes at the molecular, cellular and organismal level due in large part to the fact that primary myogenic cells (myoblasts) will grow and subsequently differentiate into myotubes in culture. With the advent of reverse mouse genetics, many of the observations gained through the study of myogenic cells in vitro have been directly tested in vivo. What has emerged is a complex but cohesive story of how myogenic cells are initially specified in the vertebrate embryo and how muscle fibers ultimately achieve their respective identities (i.e. fast versus slow) to perform their function. This collection of chapters is focused on these developments. The book discusses old and new directions for the skeletal muscle field and points out directions where the field may eventually progress.
In recent years a significant improvement in the understanding of genetics and developmental syndromes has been seen. In this context, the study of endocrinological aspects in patients with genetic syndromes is acquiring increasing significance.This book documents a workshop held in Rome in April 2008 and presents recent advances in the study of developmental syndromes and epigenetics. Contributions by international experts focus on the genetic aspects of Beckwith-Wiedemann, Silver-Russel, Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes and many more.Providing an eclectic update on the endocrine involvement in developmental syndromes, this book will be of interest to clinicians and researchers in endocrinology, pediatrics and genetics.
Aging is loosely defined as the accumulation of changes in an organism over time. At the cellular level such changes are distinct and multidimensional: DNA replication ceases, cells stop dividing, they become senescent and eventually die. DNA metabolism and chromosomal maintenance, together with protein metabolism are critical in the aging process. The focus of this book is on the role of protein metabolism and homeostasis in aging. An overview is provided of the current knowledge in the area, including protein synthesis, accuracy and repair, post-translational modifications, degradation and turnover, and how they define and influence aging. The chapters mainly focus on well-characterised fa...
Is inheritable genetic modification the new dividing line in gene therapy? The editors of this searching investigation, representing clinical medicine, public health and biomedical ethics, have established a distinguished team of scientists and scholars to address the issues from the perspectives of biological and social science, law and ethics, including an intriguing Foreword from Peter Singer. Their purpose is to consider how society might deal with the ethical concerns raised by inheritable genetic modification, and to re-examine prevailing views about whether these procedures will ever be ethically and socially justifiable. The book also provides background to define the field, and discusses the biological and technological potential for inheritable genetic modification, its limitations, and its connection with gene therapy, cloning, and other reproductive interventions. For scientists, bioethicists, clinicians, counsellors and public commentators, this is an essential contribution to one of the critical debates in current genetics.