Derek J. Chadwick

The book presents recent advances relating to the factors and mechanisms that regulate the growth, differentiation and function of mast cells and basophils; discussion of new technologies used to study these cells, and integration of the basic scient…

ATP, the intracellular energy source, is also an extremely important cell–cell signalling molecule for a wide variety of cells across evolutionarily diverse organisms. The extracellular biochemistry of ATP and its derivatives is complex, and the mult…

Seemingly simple behaviours turn out, on reflection, to be discouragingly complex. For many years, cognitive operations such as sensation, perception, comparing percepts to stored models (short-term and long-term memory), decision-making and planning…

Smooth muscle contraction is a vital component of the functioning of blood vessels, the uterus, airways and the bladder. Its malfunction can lead to serious pathological conditions, such as hypertension and pre-term labour. The calcium ion plays a ce…

Antibiotic Resistance: Origins, Evolution, Selection and Spread Chairman: Stuart B. Levy, 1997 Over the last 50 years, the rapid increase in the use of antibiotics, not only in people, but also in animal husbandry and agriculture, has delivered a sel…

Insect-Plant Interactions and Induced Plant Defence Chair: John A. Pickett, 1999 This book examines the sophisticated mechanisms that plants use to defend themselves against attack by insects and pathogens, focusing on the networks of plant signallin…

Prestigious contributors summarize current knowledge regarding the biosynthesis of tetrapyrrole pigments–chlorophyll, haem, vitamin B12. Describes the structure and regulation of key enzymes along with various pathways, molecular genetic studies and …

Telomeres and Telomerase Chairman: Sydney Brenner, 1997 Telomeres are the protective genetic elements located at the ends of chromosomes and are essential for correct chromosomal structure and function. They are not fully replicated by the convention…

Recent application of the techniques of molecular biology and patch-clamp physiology has led to rapid advances in understanding the molecular events in chemosensory transduction. In this book, the latest results are presented and discussed by leading…

The formation of blood vessels is an essential aspect of embryogenesis in vertebrates. It is a central feature of numerous post-embryonic processes, including tissue and organ growth and regeneration. It is also part of the pathology of tumour format…

Prominent contributors address issues regarding the toxicity of aluminum which causes an encephalopathy in renal dialysis patients and is also known to damage animals and plants via acid rain. Examines the chemistry and biology of aluminum compounds …

The field of neural transplantation is at a crucial stage, with important clinical trials on transplantation in patients with Parkinson's disease nearing completion and novel, alternative approaches to fetal transplantation being developed. This time…

Classical studies of steroid hormones are concerned with their regulation of protein synthesis via the modulation of genomic transcription. But many of the actions of these hormones occur too rapidly to be explained in this manner, particularly their…

Gramicidin channels have been studied intensively for more than 25 years. They serve as model transport systems for large protein ion channels, since it is difficult to glean high-resolution structural information on the latter. This book includes co…

Drawing together contributions from a diverse group of international experts in the field, this collection of papers examines the biology and pathology of elastin at the molecular level. Topics include the structure, ultrastructure and function of el…

Useful throughout history for their medical as well as other benefits, plant-derived compounds have gained particular importance recently, due to environmental factors. The isolation and characterization of plant products, the identification of their…

Contains the presentations and discussions that took place during a symposium at the CIBA Foundation on October 1-3, 1990 on the subject of catalytic antibodies. The recognition that monoclonal antibodies can possess catalytic activity is a recent ad…

Microbial responses to acidic and alkaline pH are important in many areas of bacteriology. For example, the mechanisms of resistance to acidic pH are important in the understanding of the passage of human pathogens through the acid of the stomach; an…

Chronic inflammation predisposes to some forms of cancer and the host response to malignant disease shows several parallels with inflammation and wound healing. The cells involved in inflammation are detected in a range of common cancers, together wi…

Examines the establishment of the germ layers and other cell lineages in the early embryo including details of cell movements during the beginning stages of primitive streak formation. Discusses patterns of gene expression during the development of s…