All living matter is comprised of cells, small compartments isolated from the environment by a cell membrane and filled with concentrated solutions of various organic and inorganic compounds. Some organisms are single-cell, where all life functions are performed by that cell. Others have groups of cells, or organs, specializing in one particular function. The survival of the entire organism depends on all of its cells and organs fulfilling their roles. While the cells are studied by different sciences, they are seen differently by biologists, chemists, or physicists. Biologists concentrate their attention on cell structure and function. What the cells consists of? Where are its organelles? What function each organelle fulfils? From a chemists’ point of view, a cell is a complex chemical reaction chamber where various molecules are synthesized or degraded. The main question is how these, sometimes very complicated chains of reactions are controlled. Finally, from a physics standpoint, some of the fundamental questions are about the physical movement of all these molecules between organelles within the cell, their exchange with the extracellular medium, as well as electrical phenomena resulting from such transport. The aim of this book is to look into the basic physical phenomena occurring in cells. These physical transport processes facilitate chemical reactions in the cell and various electrical effects, and that in turn leads to biological functions necessary for the cell to satisfy its role in the mother organism. Ultimately, the goals of every cell are to stay alive and to fulfill its function as a part of a larger organ or organism. The first volume of this book is an inventory of physical transport processes occurring in cells while this second volume provides a closer look at how complex biological and physiological cell phenomena result from these very basic physical processes.

Transporting Epithelia summarizes the progress that has been made in understanding a wide range of epithelial transport systems. This book discusses the epithelia involved in osmotic and ionic regulation from protonephridia to the mammalian kidney. It also explains the digestive and absorptive epithelia, as well as the epithelia that produce special secretions, such as milk, endolymph, aqueous humor, cerebrospinal fluid, sweat, and tears. Furthermore, this book describes the role of the epithelium in the physiology of the animal and the structure of the epithelium. Then, the structure of the epithelium is correlated with its physiological properties. This book will be valuable both for teaching and as a reference for research workers interested in comparative aspects of transport phenomena.

Lung Epithelial Biology in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Disease provides a one-stop resource capturing developments in lung epithelial biology related to basic physiology, pathophysiology, and links to human disease. The book provides access to knowledge of molecular and cellular aspects of lung homeostasis and repair, including the molecular basis of lung epithelial intercellular communication and lung epithelial channels and transporters. Also included is coverage of lung epithelial biology as it relates to fluid balance, basic ion/fluid molecular processes, and human disease. Useful to physician and clinical scientists, the contents of this book compile the important and most current findings about the role of epithelial cells in lung disease. Medical and graduate students, postdoctoral and clinical fellows, as well as clinicians interested in the mechanistic basis for lung disease will benefit from the books examination of principles of lung epithelium functions in physiological condition. - Provides a single source of information on lung epithelial junctions and transporters - Discusses of the role of the epithelium in lung homeostasis and disease - Includes capsule summaries of main conclusions as well as highlights of future directions in the field - Covers the mechanistic basis for lung disease for a range of audiences

Building from general principles, the authors clearly explain the fundamental role of epithelia in plasma electrolyte and water balance. Emphasis is placed on experimental approaches and methodology. A comprehensive glossary of terms is included.

“Infogest” (Improving Health Properties of Food by Sharing our Knowledge on the Digestive Process) is an EU COST action/network in the domain of Food and Agriculture that will last for 4 years from April 4, 2011. Infogest aims at building an open international network of institutes undertaking multidisciplinary basic research on food digestion gathering scientists from different origins (food scientists, gut physiologists, nutritionists...). The network gathers 70 partners from academia, corresponding to a total of 29 countries. The three main scientific goals are: Identify the beneficial food components released in the gut during digestion; Support the effect of beneficial food components on human health; Promote harmonization of currently used digestion models Infogest meetings highlighted the need for a publication that would provide researchers with an insight into the advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of respective in vitro and ex vivo assays to evaluate the effects of foods and food bioactives on health. Such assays are particularly important in situations where a large number of foods/bioactives need to be screened rapidly and in a cost effective manner in order to ultimately identify lead foods/bioactives that can be the subject of in vivo assays. The book is an asset to researchers wishing to study the health benefits of their foods and food bioactives of interest and highlights which in vitro/ex vivo assays are of greatest relevance to their goals, what sort of outputs/data can be generated and, as noted above, highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the various assays. It is also an important resource for undergraduate students in the ‘food and health’ arena.

Since the first TRP ion channel was discovered in Drosophila melanogaster in 1989, the progress made in this area of signaling research has yielded findings that offer the potential to dramatically impact human health and wellness. Involved in gateway activity for all five of our senses, TRP channels have been shown to respond to a wide range of st