This volume focuses on the relationship between the regulation of signal transduction and disease mechanisms, and discusses how the dysregulation of intracellular signals cause diseases, cell death, carcinogenesis, and other disorders. Growth, survival, transformation, and metabolic activities at the cellular level are regulated by various intracellular signal transduction pathways. Sources that stimulate intracellular signals include intracellular stresses and signal regulators/modulators, as well as extracellular growth factors. Recent studies on signal transduction analysis using animal and human cell lines have revealed how the intracellular signals are regulated and why their dysregulation leads to pathological states such as tumorigenesis, metabolic diseases, cell death, and so on. This book highlights several important key molecules and intracellular signaling pathways such as microRNA, the TGF-beta signaling pathway, the Wnt signaling pathway and MET signaling pathway as topical and highly relevant issues in human cell research related to signal transduction. In addition to assessing the pathogenic role of these signaling pathways, it focuses on the molecular design of small molecule regulators/inhibitors of said pathways, one of the most important approaches in this area. This book offers a valuable guide, helping not only research scientists but also clinicians to understand how the dysregulation of intracellular signals leads to diseases.

This volume contains papers presented at the Ninth International Conference on Second Messengers and Phosphoproteins. Written by leading scientists - including two Nobel Laureates - the papers highlight contemporary advances in the rapidly evolving field of signal transduction. The findings presented are of vital significance to researchers in virtually all biomedical fields, including pharmacology, molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, the neurosciences, and physiology. The contributors offer new insights into fundamental cell signalling mechanisms and explore the role of these mechanisms in physiological and pathophysiological responses in a variety of systems. Coverage includes many topics that are currently under intensive study, such as growth factors and special signalling systems; protein phosphatases and metabolic pathways; calcium and ion channels; cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP; and receptors and G proteins.

The mechanism of information transfer between cells is the subject of this text. In the past, aspects of this field were the domain of different disciplines, including endocrinology, neurochemistry, and pharmacology. However, in recent years, signal transduction has emerged as an independent discipline.

This book uniquely relates the broad impact of signal transduction research on the understanding and treatment of human disease. There have been significant advances in the area of signaling in disease processes, yet no resource presently connects these advances with understanding of disease processes and applications for novel therapeutics. Given the emphasis on translational research and biological relevance in biotechnology, and, conversely, the importance of molecular approaches for clinical research, it is evident that a single resource bridging signaling research and human disease will be invaluable.

"This textbook provides a comprehensive view of signal transduction, covering both the fundamental mechanisms involved and their roles in key biological processes. It first lays out the basic principles of signal transduction, explaining how different receptors receive information and transmit it via signaling proteins, ions, and second messengers. It then surveys the major signaling pathways that operate in cells, before examining in detail how these function in processes such as cell growth and division, cell movement, metabolism, development, reproduction, the nervous system, and immune function"--

One of the most exciting areas of cancer research now is the development of agents which can target signal transduction pathways that are activated inappropriately in malignant cells. The understanding of the molecular abnormalities which distinguish malignant cells from their normal counterparts has grown tremendously. This volume summarizes the current research on the role that signal transduction pathways play in the pathogenesis of cancer and how this knowledge may be used to develop the next generation of more effective and less toxic anticancer agents. Series Editor comments: "The biologic behavior of both normal and cancer cells is determined by critical signal transduction pathways. This text provides a comprehensive review of the field. Leading investigators discuss key molecules that may prove to be important diagnostic and/or therapeutic targets."