Receptor tyrosine kinases are cell-surface receptors that respond to numerous hormones and growth factors, including insulin, insulin-like growth factors, epidermal growth factor, and nerve growth factor. They activate highly conserved intracellular signaling pathways that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and metabolism, playing essential roles in developing and adult animals. This book examines the nature of these receptors and their ligands, the molecular mechanisms that they regulate within cells, and the roles of the receptors in normal physiology and control of embryogenesis. It also discusses how dysfunction of these mechanisms can contribute to cancer and other diseases.
Starting from a kinase of interest, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has gone far beyond an average biomolecule. Being expressed in all mammalian cell types and probably having a counterpart in every eukaryotic cell, AMPK has attracted interest in virtually all areas of biological research. Structural and biophysical insights have greatly contributed to a molecular understanding of this kinase. From good old protein biochemistry to modern approaches, such as systems biology and advanced microscopy, all disciplines have provided important information. Thus, multiple links to cellular events and subcellular localizations have been established. Moreover, the crucial involvement of AMPK in human health and disease has been evidenced. AMPK accordingly has moved from an interesting enzyme to a pharmacological target. However, despite our extensive current knowledge about AMPK, the growing community is busier than ever. This book provides a snapshot of recent and current AMPK research with an emphasis on work providing molecular insight, including but not limited to novel physiological and pathological functions, or regulatory mechanisms. Up-to-date reviews and research articles are included.
Sorting and Recycling Endosomes provides the latest information on endosomes, the receiving compartment for endocytosed cargos, and the donor compartment and sorting station for cargos designated to lysosomes, Golgi, or plasma membrane. In recent years, the importance of endosomes as a sorting and recycling compartment has become increasingly appreciated. As such, scientists from various fields of cell biology, membrane traffic, and beyond, see the needs to communicate and learn about the methods used to investigate the dynamics and functions of endosomes. This book brings together specialists from the field who contribute their expertise on a broad range of biomedical topics that will provide ideal reading for researchers interested in endosomal sorting and recycling. This volume covers the approaches necessary to study the key components that mediate the generation and transport of membrane-bounded carriers from the endosomes, and how membrane trafficking machinery is coordinated with cytoskeletons during these processes. In addition to studies carried out in mammalian cells, other model systems such as worm and yeast are also included. - Provides the latest information on endosomes, the receiving compartment for endocytosed cargos, and the donor compartment and sorting station for cargos designated to lysosomes, Golgi, or plasma membrane. - Covers an increasingly appreciated field in cell biology - Includes both established and new technologies - Brings together specialists from the field who contribute their expertise on a broad range of biomedical topics that will provide ideal reading for researchers interested in endosomal sorting and recycling
The present volume of the Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology gives a representative survey of the current status of the structure, function, regulation and molecular pharmacology of Neurotransmitter Transporters and aims at providing an overview of insights that were generated in the past 5 years. If the volume serves as both, a useful compendium of current concepts and an inspiring starting point, it will have fulfilled its mission and will be a source for students interested in this emerging field as well as for experienced scientists looking for an update. This volume is the brainchild of the editor-in-chief of the HEP series, Klaus Starke, awe-inspiring to all pharmacologists of younger generations.
Endocytosis and vesicular trafficking determine the landscape of the cell’s exterior, namely the density of surface molecules, such as receptors for growth factors and cytokines, adhesion molecules like integrins and cadherins, and a plethora of nutrient carriers. Hence, endocytosis is involved in signal transduction, cell adhesion and migration, as well as metabolism. To exploit these fundamental processes, malignancies subtly and multiply manipulate the endocytosis and the subsequent trafficking of protein cargoes. This is achieved by simultaneously altering the cytoskeleton, vesicle budding, cargo sorting and intracellular degradation. By highlighting the underlying molecular processes and concentrating on specific examples, this book reviews the recent emergence of derailed endocytosis and vesicular trafficking as a landmark of cancer. In-depth understanding of this common feature of tumors might lead the way to drug-induced strategies, able to rectify intracellular trafficking in cancer.
Endocytosis is a fundamental cellular process by means of which cells internalize extracellular and plasma membrane cargos for recycling or degradation. It is important for the establishment and maintenance of cell polarity, subcellular signaling and uptake of nutrients into specialized cells, but also for plant cell interactions with pathogenic and symbiotic microbes. Endocytosis starts by vesicle formation at the plasma membrane and progresses through early and late endosomal compartments. In these endosomes cargo is sorted and it is either recycled back to the plasma membrane, or degraded in the lytic vacuole. This book presents an overview of our current knowledge of endocytosis in plants with a main focus on the key molecules undergoing and regulating endocytosis. It also provides up to date methodological approaches as well as principles of protein, structural lipid, sugar and microbe internalization in plant cells. The individual chapters describe clathrin-mediated and fluid-phase endocytosis, as well as flotillin-mediated endocytosis and internalization of microbes. The book was written for a broad spectrum of readers including students, teachers and researchers.
Cyclin Dependent Kinase 5 provides a comprehensive and up-to-date collection of reviews on the discovery, signaling mechanisms and functions of Cdk5, as well as the potential implication of Cdk5 in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Since the identification of this unique member of the Cdk family, Cdk5 has emerged as one of the most important signal transduction mediators in the development, maintenance and fine-tuning of neuronal functions and networking. Further studies have revealed that Cdk5 is also associated with the regulation of neuronal survival during both developmental stages and in neurodegenerative diseases. These observations indicate that precise control of Cdk5 is essential for the regulation of neuronal survival. The pivotal role Cdk5 appears to play in both the regulation of neuronal survival and synaptic functions thus raises the interesting possibility that Cdk5 inhibitors may serve as therapeutic treatment for a number of neurodegenerative diseases.
This volume details the current understanding of roles and regulation on histidine phosphorylation, describing methods for the characterization of protein phosphorylation on histidine. Chapters guide readers through in vitro systems, cell-based systems, comprehensive background review articles on histidine kinases and phosphatases. 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, Histidine Phosphorylation: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this rapidly growing field.
A comprehensive review of stress signaling in plants using genomics and functional genomic approaches Improving agricultural production and meeting the needs of a rapidly growing global population requires crop systems capable of overcoming environmental stresses. Understanding the role of different signaling components in plant stress regulation is vital to developing crops which can withstand abiotic and biotic stresses without loss of crop yield and productivity. Emphasizing genomics and functional genomic approaches, Protein Kinases and Stress Signaling in Plants is a comprehensive review of cutting-edge research on stress perception, signal transduction, and stress response generation. Detailed chapters cover a broad range of topics central to improving agricultural production developing crop systems capable of overcoming environmental stresses to meet the needs of a rapidly growing global population. This book describes the field of protein kinases and stress signaling with a special emphasis on functional genomics. It presents a highly valuable contribution in the field of stress perception, signal transduction and generation of responses against one or multiple stress signals. This timely resource: Summarizes the role of various kinases involved in stress management Enumerates the role of TOR, GSK3-like kinase, SnRK kinases in different physiological conditions Examines mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in different stresses Describes the different aspects of calcium signaling under different stress conditions Examines photo-activated kinases (PAPKs) in varying light conditions Briefs the presence of tyrosine kinases in plants Highlights the cellular functions of receptor ]like protein kinases (RLKs) Possible implication of these kinases in developing stress tolerant crops Protein Kinases and Stress Signaling in Plants: Functional Genomic Perspective is an essential resource for researchers and students in the fields of plant molecular biology and signal transduction, plant responses to stress, plant cell signaling, plant protein kinases, plant biotechnology, transgenic plants and stress biology.
