Since the last major compendium dedicated to cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) was published over 15 years ago, an enormous amount of progress has occurred in the field. There is great need for a centralized source for key information in this burgeoning and therapeutically important area of medical research. Cyclic Nucleotide Phosph

Since the last major compendium dedicated to cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) was published over 15 years ago, an enormous amount of progress has occurred in the field. There is great need for a centralized source for key information in this burgeoning and therapeutically important area of medical research. Cyclic Nucleotide Phosph

The book comprehensively presents new findings in cardiovascular research related to signaling microdomains in health and disease. Important second messengers such as cAMP, cGMP, calcium and their role in microdomain signaling are discussed. The book offers and explains methodical approaches and technical ways how to successfully analyze microdomain signaling, also in the context of disease. It further provides scientific perspectives and strategies that are based on the concept of signaling within microdomains and that can revolutionize pharmacology and eventually lead to the effective treatment of cardiovascular diseases in future.This book is written for scientists in cardiovascular research, pharmacology, molecular and cellular biology as well as medical doctors in cardiology, angiology and nephrology.

Research leaders in the PDE field describe new concepts and techniques for investigating the role of PDEs in orchestrating normal and pathophysiological responses. Presented in step-by-step detail, these readily reproducible methods allow the measurement of cyclic nucleotide variations in living cells, as well as their visualization in a spatio-temporal manner, the localization and characterization of their activities in tissues and living cells, and the assessment of targeted PDEs in creating specific tools and drugs. Additional chapters discuss the generation of PDE4 knockout mice to demonstrate not only the potential role of targeted PDEs, but also their use in further studies of the central role of PDE regulation in intracellular signaling control. These techniques offer clinicians a way to find new therapies for numerous pathologies whose molecular origins are unknown and whose treatment is symptomatic. Alterations of intracellular signaling related to PDE deregulation in such pathologies as inflammation, neurodegeneration, and cancer may explain the difficulties observed in their prevention and treatment.

The beta cells of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans are the only cells in the body that produce and secrete insulin. This metabolic hormone plays a central role in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis. This book provides a comprehensive review of the beta cell in health and disease. The book’s primary aim is to encourage investigators to become actively involved in diabetes research and the search for new approaches to prevent and treat diabetes.

Adipose tissue is recognized to be exquisitely sensitive to hormone action, and is also now recognized as a secretory and endocrine organ required for reproduction and good health. Adipocytes are “smart” cells able within the tissue to communicate with surrounding cells, but also with various organs, particularly via leptin acting on the central nervous system. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) are known to be distinct tissues, whereas the heterogeneity of WAT depots is well est- lished. Unfortunately, excess WAT leads to obesity, which is the most common health problem in industrialized countries. Therefore, from both a scientific and a technical point of view, the time has come to create a survey of adipose tissues and their neglected adipocytes. In Adipose Tissue Protocols, I have attempted to gather together chapters from all areas of adipose tissue research—from in vivo to in vitro studies—and to provide methods covering a wide variety of techniques, including the choice of adipose tissue depot and of morphological techniques for the study of BAT and WAT; the isolation, subcellular fractionation, and transfection of adipocytes where the low density of these cells must be taken into account; assays of nutrient and ion fluxes and the metabolic aspects of nutrient uptake; assays of lipid-related enzymes; biopsies and quantification of lipid-related mRNAs; cultures of adipose precursor cells from WAT and BAT of various species, including human tissue; measurements of adipose secretory products; and assessment of WAT metabolism in vivo.