Apoptosis: The Life and Death of Cells (Developmental & Cell Biology Series)

Book Description

This book describes the biological implications and significance of apoptosis. Occurring naturally throughout the lifetime of most multicellular organisms, apoptosis, or programmed cell death, accounts for the continuous turnover of cells in the body. However, the genes regulating apoptosis are defective in many cancers.

Apoptosis: The Molecular Biology of Programmed Cell Death (Frontiers in Molecular Biology, 40)

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Apoptosis: The Molecular Biology of Programmed Cell Death (Frontiers in Molecular Biology, 40)

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0199638497

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Apoptosis is a regulated form of cell demise that can be induced or blocked by groups of specific stimuli. Occurring in all living tissues, it is thought critical to the maintenance of homeostasis and is implicated in lowering susceptibility to tumour growth. Conversely, over-sensitivity to apoptotic triggers can cause cells to be lost inappropriately from tissues, as appears to occur in neurodegenerative diseases. This book examines the molecular pathways regulating apoptosis, progressing from the nematode worm through Drosphila to the more complex pathways evident in mammalian cells. Differences in the cell death pathway within specific tissues are addressed, as are the different genes that may act to regulate progressive steps.

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Cell Death During HIV Infection

Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0849328276

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Until now, researchers lacked a complete resource on the cell death observed during HIV infection. Cell Death During HIV Infection contains comprehensive, current information for researchers and clinicians, combining elements of HIV biology with immunology and focusing on their interaction. The discussion centers on mechanisms by which HIV may accelerate T cell death, on correlations between apoptosis and HIV disease using animal models and clinical studies, and the involvement of apoptosis in the complications of HIV. A final section deals with the impact of therapies on HIV-associated T cell death and avenues by which modulation of apoptosis can be developed into novel therapeutic strategies for HIV disease.

A Means to an End: The Biological Basis of Aging and Death

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An easy book to read
A good review with some problems
Yes, death is genetically programmed !
A clear explanation of what is currently known about aging
The case for programmed senescence

A Means to an End: The Biological Basis of Aging and Death
William R. Clark
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195153758

Book Description

Why do we age? Is aging inevitable? Will advances in medical knowledge allow us to extend the human lifespan beyond its present limits? Because growing old has long been the one irreducible reality of human existence, these intriguing questions arise more often in the context of science fiction than science fact. But recent discoveries in the fields of cell biology and molecular genetics are seriously challenging the assumption that human lifespans are beyond our control. With such discoveries in mind, noted cell biologist William R. Clark clearly and skillfully describes how senescence begins at the level of individual cells and how cellular replication may be bound up with aging of the entire organism. He explores the evolutionary origin and function of aging, the cellular connections between aging and cancer, the parallels between cellular senescence and Alzheimer's disease, and the insights gained through studying human genetic disorders--such as Werner's syndrome--that mimic the symptoms of aging. Clark also explains how reduction in caloric intake may actually help increase lifespan, and how the destructive effects of oxidative elements in the body may be limited by the consumption of antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. In a final chapter, Clark considers the social and economic aspects of living longer, the implications of gene therapy on senescence, and what we might learn about aging from experiments in cloning. This is a highly readable, provocative account of some of the most far-reaching and controversial questions we are likely to ask in the next century.

Customer Reviews:

An easy book to read.......2003-08-20

Easy to read book. After lengthy introduction author concentrates on the research about genes that suppress the cell senescence and control. Discussion about cancer cells where cell division is not checked.
Final chapters discusses the effects of oxidants, obesity, low calorie diet or similar things where eventually a claim comes that beside the gene control everything else does not amount more than %15 in total effect.
So unless we control the genes we will soon or later die.

A good review with some problems.......2002-02-04

Dr. Clark provides a good review of the field but fails, in my opinion, to provide a clear explanation for "The biological basis of aging and death". The theories of the evolutionary biology of aging clearly argue that "aging" cannot be "genetically programmed" or that "We are programmed to grow old and die" as other reviewers have concluded from reading this work. That points out the weakness in this book -- a failure to clearly differentiate between senescence, aging and death. There are two primary theories for why we age -- "the declining force of natural selection" (i.e. it is difficult to optimize a genetic program to produce non-aging organisms) and "antagonistic plieotropy" (i.e. the genetic program is optimized for reproduction at the expense of non-aging longevity). Dr. Clark seems to suggest that the genetic program for senescence is what causes aging and death. In fact the genetic program for senescence is largely an anti-cancer program. It may as a side effect contribute to aging and eventually death but its primary purpose is to prevent cancer. There is a very big difference between saying that aging and death result from an "incomplete" program and saying that aging and death result from a pre-programmed senescence program. One of my primary criticisms is Dr. Clark's pseudo-deathist philosophy. The tone of the book seems to suggest that aging is pre-programmed and cannot be changed. He says, on pg 218, "Will we want to go this far in our search for the fountain of youth? It is unlikely even to be proposed in the lifetime of anyone reading this book, but it is not at all beyond the realm of possibility." (He is speaking of the application of gene therapies to lifespan extension.) I have been proposing such methods for lifespan extension for most of the past decade and have conducted research and founded companies to forward these goals. The human genome is a program. It has bugs in it that result in aging. We can comprehend those bugs and apply patches to fix them allowing the extension of human longevity to the accident-rate limits which will be thousands of years. Individuals who really want to understand aging should read books by people who have studied the field for many years. The best authors, in my opinion, would be Steve Austad, Tom Kirkwood and Caleb Finch. While many of their works may be older than this book, they have a greater depth of understanding of the subtleties of the study of aging that this book fails to discuss.

Yes, death is genetically programmed !.......2000-08-13

This book embraces a rational and well explained journey in the field of aging. Here I read for the first time strong statements about the programmed nature death, that is present since fertilization. We learn the basic experiments that support Haldane theory about sex and aging and we appreaciate the beatiful connection between replicative senescence and species-specifc mortality. The book is clear and well readible and I strongly recommend it to science and non-science crowd.

A clear explanation of what is currently known about aging.......2000-06-12

Professor Clark has written a book that is detailed and accurate, and at the same time accessible to people untrained in molecular biology. If you are interested in increasing both the quality and the length of your life, read this book.

The case for programmed senescence.......2000-05-14

Professor Clark writes with elegance and employs a reasoned tone, but he is not always direct, and often expresses ideas in the understandably tentative way of a very exacting scientist. Consequently it is not easy to see that nowhere in this book does he directly say what causes aging and death. Nor does he simply say we don't know. What he does say is there are some persuasive theories, especially the evolutionary model began by Haldane and Medawar and refined by George Williams (pp. 49-50), that are consistent with the data that "may be essentially correct, at least in broad outline." (p. 52). Clark makes it clear that we have senescence effector genes in our cells but he doesn't say how they got there, only that they were "already in place in the earliest eukaryotic organisms such as paramecia and yeast." (p. 57) The reader is left to believe that there is a mechanism that retains them, but what that mechanism might be is unclear.

I am led to believe that senescence is built into our cells and is part of our genetic makeup. We are programmed to grow old and die. Just how is what Professor Clark is exploring here. He concentrates on the cellular level because it is his belief that this is where the mechanisms for senescence can be found. On page 190 he argues that senescence is genetically controlled and not the result of a random breakdown, citing the fact that "maximum lifespan is species-specific." In short, humans live a lot longer than dogs, contrary to what might be expected if senescence were caused by cells getting old and wearing out. He points out on page 48 that "mice and humans, although composed of proteins that are extremely similar at a chemical level, have both average and maximal lifespans differing by a factor of 30 or more."

Clark also covers in some detail such issues as the evolution of senescence, average and maximum lifespan; genetic diseases such as Werner's syndrome, the Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome and others; oxidative stress as a cause of cellular senescence and the use of Vitamin E and other antioxidants; the aging brain and Alzheimer's disease; cancer and the social and economic effect of humans living longer. A chapter is devoted to the phenomenon of increased lifespan through restricted caloric intake.

Book Description

The volume offers insight into the key research topics that involve caspases. Leading experts from various areas of biology and medicine have compiled this volume so that both the novice and the professional will use this as the main reference for caspases for years to come. The reader will learn about the role of caspases in apoptosis signaling, inflammation and cancer therapy while being updated on the methodology used to study caspases and the efforts of pharmaceutical research in targeting caspases.

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Review from Cell Cycle, Vol. 2, Issue 2.......2003-04-07

"The chapters are strikingly uniform in their thoroughness of treatment of the assigned topic, with extensive references to the supporting literature... A useful feature of this volume is that it begins with an extensive, if not totally complete, summary of abbreviations, which certainly helps to follow the narratives in this field... the book should prove useful to those wishing to have an easy access to the current knowledge of capases as instruments of cell death, and can be recommended to a wide variety of potential readers. Given the continuing fascination with the mysteries of apoptosis, it seems likely that this advice will be taken."

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Human body is made of cells, its aging is important.
Human body is made of cells, its aging is important.

Cellular Aging and Cell Death

Manufacturer: Wiley-Liss
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

Cellular AGING AND CELL DEATH

Edited by Nikki J. Holbrook, George R. Martin, and Richard A. Lockshin

Cellular Aging and Cell Death provides a thorough understanding of the mechanisms responsible for cellular aging, covering the recent research on programmed cell death and senescence, and describing their role in the control of cell proliferation and the aging process. This one-of-a-kind book is the first to combine the two hottest research areas of cell biology into one comprehensive text.

Leading experts contribute to give readers an authoritative overview of the distinct fields of cellular aging and programmed cell death, as well as to demonstrate how both fields are critical to understanding the aging process. They address the large and growing interest in apoptosis, especially with regard to the molecular signals that induce and regulate programmed cell death, and the role of apoptosis in a variety of age-associated diseases and disabilities. Throughout the book, a strong emphasis is placed on the interrelationship of the molecular, cellular, and physiological aspects of senescence.

Individual chapters discuss such topics as the role and regulation of apoptosis in development, the potential impact of cell death on such postmitotic tissues as nerve and muscle, and suggest that programmed cell death plays an important role in both pathological and nonpathological aspects of aging, including neurodegenerative diseases.

One important chapter focuses on the most recent research involving the study of telomeres, whose reduction in length with age and cell division may underlie cellular senescence. The subject of neuronal cell death is also put into the perspective of aging.

Cellular Aging and Cell Death bridges the rapidly growing fields of cellular aging and programmed cell death. This thorough, yet concise book will be of particular interest to graduate students and researchers within the fields of cell and developmental biology, neurobiology, immunology, and physiology. Physicians and medical students involved in the fields of gerontology and pathology will also find this an informative reference.

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Human body is made of cells, its aging is important........1999-04-12

Cell of the body must have the proper environment. Developmental changes (age changes) can be explained better at the cellular level. Errant condition and failure to correct lead to cell injury. The greater the number of cells injured the more likely system malfunction would occur.

Human body is made of cells, its aging is important........1999-04-12

Apoptosis and Its Modulation by Drugs (Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology)

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Apoptosis and Its Modulation by Drugs (Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

This book is concernced with the process of cell death in human cells by programmed cell death or apoptosis, and the modulation of this process by drugs. This is a new field of study and this volume represents the first comprehensive treatment of this subject matter. Its focus is on human biology and medicine. Apoptosis is a very prevalent type of cell death with importance in human diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease and autoimmune disorders. The book combines the expertise of leading scientists and writers from fields as diverse as neurosciences, immunology, pathology and cancer research. There is detailed analysis of the molecular and cellular aspects of apoptosis including the specific genes and molecules involved in the regulation of this special form of programmed cell death. Scientists, clinicians and researchers involved in studies of human biology and medicine will find this book an excellent resource.

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Apoptosis and the Immune Response

Manufacturer: Wiley-Liss
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471012513

Book Description

Apoptosis and the Immune Response

Edited by Christopher D. Gregory

In this timely and important work, an international group of leading investigators takes a close and critical look at programmed cell death and its role in the development, function, and maintenance of the immune system. Along with covering the primary actions of apoptosis, the contributors probe its role in carcinogenesis and HIV-induced pathogenesis. By offering a broad range of views, Apoptosis and the Immune Response presents a current and complete picture of the various aspects and consequences of this phenomenon.

Apoptosis and the Immune Response begins with the theories surrounding apoptosis and then covers its basic mechanisms including the morphologic, biochemical, and genetic features. The book offers authoritative discussions on the role of apoptosis in the deletion of self-reactive lymphocytes, prevention of autoimmunity, termination of the immune response, death of T cells infected by the HIV virus, neoplasia, and the homeostatic regulation of the hematopoietic system.

In particular, this excellent reference critiques such topics as:

Apoptosis in thymocytes in vivo and in vitro
Bcl-2/T-cell transgenics
The role of c-myc
Fas/APO-1 antigens and their roles
Transgenic models of B-cell tolerance and autoimmunity
How apoptosis affects the pathogenesis of AIDS and the implications for therapy
Triggers for apoptosis and survival
Recognition of apoptotic cells by phagocytes
Apoptosis in peritoneal autoreactive CD5+ B cells
and more

With its diverse expertise and timely, clear-cut insights, Apoptosis and the Immune Response will prove to be an invaluable resource for immunologists, cell and developmental biologists, hematologists, and oncologists—as well as graduate students.

Book Description

This book covers apoptosis or programmed cell death of B and T lymphocytes and their precursors, providing recent conceptual insights into the complex field of apoptosis regulation in normal and pathological situations. Written by leading experts in the field, each chapter offers a succinct state-of-the-art review, emphasizing the conceptual integration of data over their mere accumulation. The reader will profit from a collection of outstanding surveys that cover both fundamental and practical aspects of lymphocyte apoptosis. In the era of molecular biology, the immunologically interested public should be aware of the enormous importance of apoptosis for immune homeostasis. This volume provides an ideal introduction.

Apoptosis in Neurobiology (Crc Press Methods in the Life Sciences. Methods in Neuroscience.)

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Apoptosis in Neurobiology (Crc Press Methods in the Life Sciences. Methods in Neuroscience.)

Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

The rapid growth of the study of apoptosis-mechanism-driven, regulated cell death-has created an urgent need for reliable documentation of the different approaches to and methods of studying the various aspects of the field. Apoptosis in Neurobiology is an important resource for researchers in this emerging frontier of biomedical study. This volume allows the uninitiated neuroscientist intellectual and practical access to the study of apoptosis, with special consideration to the nervous system. The first section concentrates on conceptual approaches to the study of apoptosis in neurobiology and its significance to the nervous system. The second section provides a user-friendly approach to methods and techniques in the study of apoptosis as applied to neurobiology.

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