Heat shock proteins (HSP) were originally described in heat-shocked drosophila by Ritossa in the early 1960's. In the last 5 years it has become apparent that these heat shock proteins have important functions both in the normal cell and in the stressed cell. These proteins constitute an endogenous protective system; mutations in the heat shock proteins can be lethal, and there are no known organisms without heat shock proteins. The first observations on heat shock proteins and the heart were made in the 1980's and interest in these proteins increased over the decade. In the last few years there has been an exponential growth in number of papers published on heat shock proteins and the heart. Heat shock proteins have been implicated in a number of cardiovascular research areas including ischemia, hypertrophy, aging, and atherosclerosis, and this list is growmg. The purpose of this volume is to give an overview of our current understanding of the heat shock proteins in the cardiovascular system, and to summarize the approaches to the study of heat shock proteins in the heart. This volume assembles results from a number of different cardiovascular fields. and provides a comprehensive review of heat shock proteins in the cardiovascular system.

Myocardial ischemic syndromes pose a major medical problem and a significant economic health care concern. Reperfusion, although used in the clinical arena as essential to the survival of acutely ischemic heart muscle carries with it the risk of reperfusion injury. Therefore the salvage of additional myocardium is highly desirable.

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Cyclic Nucleotide Signaling and the Cardiovascular System" that was published in JCDD

The role of ROS/RNS signaling in cardiovascular functions and diseases is increasingly emerging in the last decades. The involvement of ROS/RNS in the control of a large number of cardiovascular functions like the regulation of the vascular tone, the control of blood pressure or myocyte excitation-contraction coupling and force development has been broadly investigated and in part clarified. On the other hand, many efforts have been focused in clarifying the redox mechanisms involved in cardiovascular diseases like ischemia/reperfusion injury, diabetes-associated cardiovascular dysfunctions, atherosclerosis or hypertension, just to mention the major ones. However, in most cases the two levels of investigation remain separate and not interlaced, failing in the attempt to provide a unified vision of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases. The major aim of the Research Topic has been to collect original papers and review articles dealing with the issue from basic to translation research point of views. The topic includes contributions that highlight different interesting aspects of cardiovascular biology with an integrated approach useful for the development of new ideas and advancements in the field of redox signaling in the control of normal cardiovascular functions and their disruption in diseases.

This book highlights the multifaceted roles of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in modulating normal cellular and molecular mechanisms during the development of different types of heart disease. Each chapter in the book deals with the role that altered redox homeostasis plays in the pathophysiology of heart disease. In addition, the book explains how reactive oxidant species interact with their targets and provides novel strategies for attenuating oxidative stress-induced types of heart disease. The book not only covers ROS-induced response in heart disease at the cellular level, but also demonstrates that an imbalance of redox states has its roots in our genes, and explains the ways gene expression is regulated. In turn, it reviews potential sources of ROS, their pathological effects on the heart, and potential sites for therapeutic interventions.

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 ofthe mechanisms responsible for cellular aging, covering the recentresearch on programmed cell death and senescence, and describingtheir role in the control of cell proliferation and the agingprocess. This one-of-a-kind book is the first to combine the twohottest research areas of cell biology into one comprehensivetext. Leading experts contribute to give readers an authoritativeoverview of the distinct fields of cellular aging and programmedcell death, as well as to demonstrate how both fields are criticalto understanding the aging process. They address the large andgrowing interest in apoptosis, especially with regard to themolecular signals that induce and regulate programmed cell death,and the role of apoptosis in a variety of age-associated diseasesand disabilities. Throughout the book, a strong emphasis is placedon the interrelationship of the molecular, cellular, andphysiological aspects of senescence. Individual chapters discuss such topics as the role and regulationof apoptosis in development, the potential impact of cell death onsuch postmitotic tissues as nerve and muscle, and suggest thatprogrammed cell death plays an important role in both pathologicaland nonpathological aspects of aging, including neurodegenerativediseases. One important chapter focuses on the most recent research involvingthe study of telomeres, whose reduction in length with age and celldivision may underlie cellular senescence. The subject of neuronalcell death is also put into the perspective of aging. Cellular Aging and Cell Death bridges the rapidly growing fields ofcellular aging and programmed cell death. This thorough, yetconcise book will be of particular interest to graduate studentsand researchers within the fields of cell and developmentalbiology, neurobiology, immunology, and physiology. Physicians andmedical students involved in the fields of gerontology andpathology will also find this an informative reference.

Infectious agents have been recognized to involve the heart and vascular system for well over a century. Traditional concepts and teachings of their involvement in the pathogenesis of disease have been by a few established mechanisms. Since the last decade of the 20th century there has been renewed interest in the medical and public media on infectious diseases affecting the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems, through their relationship with the development of acceleration of atherosclerosis. This volume highlights and reviews new perspectives of infections on the cardiovascular system as never before. It is a truly valuable resource for scientists, researchers, residents, and fellows in the fields of infectious disease, cardiology, and microbiology.

The book comprehensively presents new findings in cardiovascular research related to signaling microdomains in health and disease. Important second messengers such as cAMP, cGMP, calcium and their role in microdomain signaling are discussed. The book offers and explains methodical approaches and technical ways how to successfully analyze microdomain signaling, also in the context of disease. It further provides scientific perspectives and strategies that are based on the concept of signaling within microdomains and that can revolutionize pharmacology and eventually lead to the effective treatment of cardiovascular diseases in future.This book is written for scientists in cardiovascular research, pharmacology, molecular and cellular biology as well as medical doctors in cardiology, angiology and nephrology.

Leading clinical and experimental investigators comprehensively review the chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, and pathophysiology of nitric oxide in the cardiovascular systems. These experts particularly illuminate nitric oxide biology, its cardiovascular pathophysiology, and its role in cardiovascular therapeutics. Topics also included are the development of nitric oxide donors for the treatment of myocardial ischemia and thrombosis, the development of gene therapeutic restoration of endothelial function in atherosclerosis, and the application of nitric oxide biology to investigative arenas in cardiovascular medicine. With its balanced presentation of basic and clinically relevant information, Nitric Oxide and the Cardiovascular System provides a comprehensive, authoritative guide for all those cardiovascular biologists, cardiologists, physiologists, and cardiovascular surgeons engaged in today's clinical or experimental research.

Provides a thorough overview of current knowledge of stress proteins in both normal and disease physiology and evaluates the potential for developing novel diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic approaches to control human disease based on the latest stress-protein research.