The study of inflammation has captured the interest of scholars since the earliest recorded history. Symbols identifying the cardinal signs of inflammation were uncovered in both Sanskrit and hieroglyphics (1). Since complete apprecia tion of the inflammatory process is underscored by the need for knowledge at both the cellular and molecular levels, academic inquiry in the area of inflammation has led, in many respects, the foray of current biomedical research. Molecular and Cellular Basis of Inflammation represents research from the cutting edge in the broad view of inflammation. The chapters are written by experts with a multidisciplinary approach to the study of inflammatory and cellular processes, and thus include contributions form the fields of molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, and pathobiology. Molecular and Cellular Basis of Inflammation was first conceived during a mini symposium sponsored by the American Society for Investigative Pathology held at FASEB in 1995 entitled "The Role of Reactive Lipids, Oxygen and Nitro gen Metabolites in Inflammation," at which several of the contributing authors delivered lectures. This present, much-extended volume includes leading-front descriptions of both protein and lipid mediators. The chapter devoted to the comple ment cascade by Ward and colleagues, as well as Chapters 3-7 and 13, provide up to-date descriptions of the biosynthesis, molecular biology, chemistry, and actions of both protein and lipid mediators.

Dieses Fachbuch erläutert die molekularen Grundlagen von Entzündungen, spannt den Bogen zu Infektionskrankheiten und den Zusammenhang zwischen Entzündungen und chronischen Erkrankungen, behandelt abschließend den Heilungsprozess und zeigt Therapiemöglichkeiten.

The leading reference on this topic of increasing medical relevance is unique in offering unparalleled coverage. The editors are among the most respected researchers in inflammation worldwide and here have put together a prestigious team of contributors. Starting with the molecular basis of inflammation, from cytokines via the innate immune system to the different kinds of inflammatory cells, they continue with the function of inflammation in infectious disease before devoting a large section to the relationship between inflammation and chronic diseases. The book concludes with wound and tissue healing and options for therapeutic interventions. A must have for clinicians and biomedical researchers alike.

The characterization of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate inflammation provides a foundation that supports future studies that will de fine mechanisms more intimately. It encourages substantial optimism about the opportunities to understand the inflammatory process and to use that information to develop novel therapeutic approaches. Recent progress has defined the cells that mediate the inflammatory response, many of the inter cellular transmitters, the receptors, signal transduction processes and regula tory mechanisms. Thus, we now have the opportunity to understand inflammation in pharmacologic terms and to attack the key molecular targets to develop new therapeutics. Among the cells involved in the inflammatory response are the lympho cytes, neutrophils and endothelial cells. Maintenance of homeostasis, re sponse to proinflammatory stimuli and pathophysiologic responses are products of complex interactions between these and other elements of the immune systems. Each of these cells displays a variety of receptors to define the stimuli to which they respond. The receptors displayed that the signal transduction processes and cellular responses are regulated genetically and epigenetic ally . The critical role of membranes and particularly the phospho lipid components of the membranes is emphasized by recent studies.

The microcirculation is highly responsive to, and a vital participant in, the inflammatory response. All segments of the microvasculature (arterioles, capillaries, and venules) exhibit characteristic phenotypic changes during inflammation that appear to be directed toward enhancing the delivery of inflammatory cells to the injured/infected tissue, isolating the region from healthy tissue and the systemic circulation, and setting the stage for tissue repair and regeneration. The best characterized responses of the microcirculation to inflammation include impaired vasomotor function, reduced capillary perfusion, adhesion of leukocytes and platelets, activation of the coagulation cascade, and enhanced thrombosis, increased vascular permeability, and an increase in the rate of proliferation of blood and lymphatic vessels. A variety of cells that normally circulate in blood (leukocytes, platelets) or reside within the vessel wall (endothelial cells, pericytes) or in the perivascular space (mast cells, macrophages) are activated in response to inflammation. The activation products and chemical mediators released from these cells act through different well-characterized signaling pathways to induce the phenotypic changes in microvessel function that accompany inflammation. Drugs that target a specific microvascular response to inflammation, such as leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion or angiogenesis, have shown promise in both the preclinical and clinical studies of inflammatory disease. Future research efforts in this area will likely identify new avenues for therapeutic intervention in inflammation. Table of Contents: Introduction / Historical Perspectives / Anatomical Considerations / Impaired Vasomotor Responses / Capillary Perfusion / Angiogenesis / Leukocyte-Endothelial Cell Adhesion / Platelet-Vessel Wall Interactions / Coagulation and Thrombosis / Endothelial Barrier Dysfunction / Epilogue / References

Cell migration is now well recognized as a critical component of the inflammatory disease process, so that its proper understanding promises to generate both ground-breaking basic discoveries and the development of novel therapeutics. In Cell Migration in Inflammation and Immunity: Methods and Protocols, leading cell biologists and immunologists present their most widely useful and innovative techniques for studying the molecular and cellular basis of this phenomenon. Describing each method in step-by-step detail, the authors provide a series of focused, cutting-edge techniques proceeding from the in vitro analysis of cell migration and the molecular mechanisms underlying this process, to methodologies for the analysis of cell migration in vivo. Methods for the analysis of rapid leukocyte adhesion under flow conditions in vitro are described, which may prove especially fruitful for scientists exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying both vascular recognition and leukocyte-endothelium interaction. Experimental approaches useful in establishing the role of cell migration in the pathogenesis of both acute and chronic inflammatory diseases are emphasized. Each fully tested protocol includes an introduction explaining the principle behind the technique, equipment and reagent lists, and tips on troubleshooting and how to avoid known pitfalls. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Cell Migration in Inflammation and Immunity: Methods and Protocols offers novice and experienced investigators alike a collection of powerful techniques for studying the molecular basis and pathophysiological significance of cell migration in inflammatory and immune diseases, as well as for the development of novel therapeutics.