Humana press jun 2002 (3 Ergebnisse)

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Could there be a better time to be a life scientist In the past two decades, a host of new techniques have been added to the tool chests of biochemists and molecular biologists. A wonderful benefit of the basic scientific research that fueled the advances in these fields is the wide variety of direct applications in agriculture and medicine. Even with all of these advances, and with the accompanying explosion in computer and information technology, it is clear that the depth of our ignorance vastly exceeds the breadth of our knowledge about complex organisms at the molecular level. Any new techniques or materials that allow us to extend our research-based knowledge should be w- comed and utilized to their fullest potentials. With the cloning of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) from Aequorea victoria in 1992, another valuable tool was added to the arsenal. In Green Fluorescent Proteins: Applications and Protocols examples of how GFP can be utilized in a variety of fields are presented. Although the text has chapters that emphasize different areas of s- cialization, it is not meant to send molecular biologists to one section, botanists to another, and clinicians to still another. Perhaps the most valuable exchange for people in any discipline will come from seeing how others have been able to apply GFP in fields outside of their immediate areas of expertise. GFP from Aequorea victoria is a fluorescent marker protein, and there are certainly other useful fluorophore markers.…

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Tantalizing new research frontiers are opening in peptide research, where the endothelins constitute an important class of signals that can be manipulated therapeutically to treat cardiovascular disease. In Peptide Research Protocols: Endothelin, a panel of multidisciplinary experts describes in detail readily reproducible methods to investigate all aspects of peptide research by focusing on the endothelin system-from its synthesis and metabolism, to its function in health and disease. These methods use state-of-the-art molecular techniques to quantify the expression of mRNA, here using both endothelin receptors and the endothelin-converting enzymes. They show how peptides, precursors, receptors, and synthetic enzymes can be localized and quantified in plasma, culture supernatants, tissue homogenate, and tissue sections using antibodies, and how radioligand binding techniques can provide additional information on receptor characterization. In vitro assays are presented to determine the function of peptides in isolated preparations, to characterize new receptor ligands, and to provide information on the tissue-specific processing of precursor peptides-all in the endothelin system. Several in vivo protocols illustrate the role of the endothelin peptides in healthy human individuals and describe animal models that can be used to predict the therapeutic potential of cardiovascular drugs that manipulate endothelin synthesis or function. Authoritative and timely, Peptide Research Protocols: Endothelin provides both a comprehensive introduction to endothelin biology and an up-to-date collection of proven techniques and experimental strategies for use in peptide research today.…

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - The Plasmodium spp. parasite was identified as the causative agent of malaria in 1880, and the mosquito was identified as the vector in 1897. Despite subsequent efforts focused on the epidemiology, cell biology, immunology, molecular biology, and clinical manifestations of malaria and the Plasmodium parasite, there is still no licensed vaccine for the prevention of malaria. Physical barriers (bed nets, window screens) and chemical prevention methods (insecticides and mosquito repellents) intended to interfere with the transmission of the disease are not highly effective, and the profile of resistance of the parasite to chemoprophylactic and chemotherapeutic agents is increasing. The dawn of the new millennium has seen a resurgence of interest in the disease by government and philanthropic organizations, but we are still faced with compl- ities of the parasite, the host, and the vector, and the interactions among them. Malaria Methods and Protocols offers a comprehensive collection of protocols describing conventional and state-of-the-art techniques for the study of malaria, as well as associated theory and potential problems, written by experts in the field. The major themes reflected here include assessing the risk of infection and severity of disease, laboratory models, diagnosis and typing, molecular biology techniques, immunological techniques, cell biology techniques, and field applications.…