with contributions by numerous experts

Nearly thirty years ago, in 1974, the volume on Angiotensin edited by Irvine H.Page and F. Merlin Bumpus expanded the Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology. Even after two decades the multiplicity of its actions appears not to have been fully discovered. To call attention to its many functions is one of the purposes of this book. This new edition of the volume on Angiotensin attempts to provide an updated account of the knowledge and findings accumulated since the complexity of angiotensin was so accurately recognized.

This book offers the latest research into the role of the renin angiotensin system on cardiac and vascular functions and in cardiovascular diseases. It covers vital aspects such as intracellular signaling and regulation of cell volume in the failing heart.

The Renin-Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS) plays an important role not only in salt and water homeostasis but also in the cardiovascular system, the kidney, and the brain. While several volumes address different aspects of the RAAS function, this book provides cutting-edge information on the pathogenesis of various disorders related to RAAS overactivation. It also presents unique aspects of RAAS functioning that have not been sufficiently described in the literature. Topics covered include assessment of hypoaldosteronism in infancy, RASS and cognitive decline, and the role of RAAS in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Written by experts in the field in an easy-to-follow and illustrated format, this volume will benefit students and practitioners, as well as clinical and basic science investigators alike.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) represent the first class of antihypertensive agents that was designed and developed on the basis of a well-defined physiopathological axis of arterial hypertension, a vascular dis order that is now becoming one of the major causes of morbidity/mortality, not only in developed societies but also in the highly populated developing coun tries [1]. CAPTOPRIL, the prototype of the "PRIL" family, which now comprises more than 40 molecule-species, was quite hazardous and the clinical develop ment almost failed when serious side-effects were reported in an alarmist fash ion in reputable scientific journals, such as the New England Journal of Medicine and Lancet. Squibb & Sons came very close to withdrawing CAPTOPRIL from clinical investigation [2]. However, after re-examination of the data obtained from different categories of patients and appropriate dose-adjustments, the clinical use of CAPTOPRIL turned out to be revolutionary. The prototype, as well as other members of the "PRIL" family became the starting point for numerous basic and clinical research programs, focusing on the interactions of ACEI with the kinin, endothelin, and nitric oxide systems, and the contribution of the receptors for AT I, AT 2, bradykinin Bland B , ETA and ET B to the pharmacological actions 2 of the respective peptides. This research activity led to the development of new pharmacological agents, such as the angiotensin receptor antagonists and, more recently, the neutral endopeptidase inhibitors. In the near future, bradykinin receptor antagonists also will be available to modulate ACEI phar macological actions.

Cellular and Molecular Biology of the Renin-Angiotensin System provides the first review and update of the state-of-the-art cellular and molecular aspects of the renin-angiotensin system. The book presents detailed analyses from world experts on each component of this system, including future directions. Topics range from angiotensin II receptor subtypes to processing of renin to the use of transgenic animal models for studying the role of this system in hypertension. Cellular and Molecular Biology of the Renin-Angiotensin System is essential reading for physiologists of the renin-angiotensin system, endocrinologists, cardiovascular specialists, renal physiologists, and neurobiologists.

Nearly thirty years ago, in 1974, the volume on Angiotensin edited by Irvine H.Page and F. Merlin Bumpus expanded the Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology. Even after two decades the multiplicity of its actions appears not to have been fully discovered. To call attention to its many functions is one of the purposes of this book. This new edition of the volume on Angiotensin attempts to provide an updated account of the knowledge and findings accumulated since the complexity of angiotensin was so accurately recognized.