Heat Shock Proteins In The Nervous System

Neuroscience Perspectives provides multidisciplinary reviews of topics in one of the most diverse and rapidly advancing fields in the life sciences. Cells respond to temperature elevation and other traumas by inducing a set of genes (cell stream genes) encoding cell stress (heat shock) proteins which may play important roles in cellular repair and/or protective mechanisms. This book surveys the current state of knowledge concerning the expression of heat shock genes and proteins in the nervous system following such traumatic events as hyperthermia, ischemia, and tissue wounding. The possible neuroprotective effects of the heat shock response are discussed. In addition to reviewing progress in animal model systems, this book discusses heat shock proteins such as ubiquitin in relation to human neurodegenerative diseases. Each chapter presents an overview of a specific subject area and includes current results from each authors laboratory and a viewpoint on future research directions. The book is organized in two parts: the first part deals with cell stress genes and their protein products; the second part deals with ubiquitin and the nervous system. The chapters are grouped so that each of the two sections begins with a description of the basic molecular cell biology of heat shock proteins or ubiquitin. Whether you are a new recruit to neuroscience or an established expert, look to this series for one-stop sources for the historical, physiological, pharmacological, biochemical, molecular biology and therapeutic aspects of your chosen research areas.