Bh Rat

J. M. Polak and S. R. Bloom For some time Experientia has published, as a unique feature, interdis ciplinary multi-author reviews, giving a comprehensive overview of sub jects regarded as 'growing edges' of science. The enthusiasm shown by the readers was contagious and thus it was felt necessary to compile a special volume dealing with the novel aspects of regulatory peptides. This book covers some of the growing areas in regulatory peptide research and, although it is based on the original volume of Experientia, it is expanded and updated. The topic of 'regulatory peptides' is relatively young and has grown at an unprecedented pace, from the embryonic conception of 'gut hor mones' or 'brain neuropeptides' some 15 years ago to the realisation that these active pep tides are found, almost without exception, in every part of l8 23 the body in all vertebrate and many invertebrate species • Why the term 'regulatory peptides'? It represents a convenient label encompassing both the active peptides present in nerves, which are re leased as (putative) neurotransmitters, and those in endocrine cells, which act locally or at a distance as circulating hormones, these being the l8 main components of the so-called diffuse neuroendocrine or APUD 17 system • Morphological studies support this physiological viewpoint.

The Laboratory Rat, Second Edition features updated information on a variety of topics including: rat genetics and genomics, both spontaneous and induced disease; state-of-the-art technology for housing and husbandry; occupational health, and experimental models. A premier source of information on the laboratory rat that will be of interest to veterinary and medical students, senior graduate, graduate students, post-docs and researchers who utilize animals in biomedical research. At least 50% new information than first edition Includes topics on rat genetics and genomics, occupational health, and experimental models The premier source of information on the laboratory rat

Experimental evidence indicates that catecholamines are able to modulate information processing in the amygdaloid complex. The dense catecholaminergic innervation of the amygdala may thus exert significant influence upon its well-documented functions in emotion, attention, learning and memory. Dysfunctions of the systems have been suggested to be involved in the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders including senile dementia, Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. To further insight into neural mechanisms of the innervation, the present study provides a detailed documentation of ultrastructural and neurochemical characteristics of dopanminergic, noradrinergic and adrenergic afferent fibers and of their target structures in central, basal and intercalated amygdaloid nuclei. A high degree of heterogeneitiy is observed between the nuclei concerning the different catecholaminergic innervation patterns and the peptide content of individual catecholaminergic fibers, as well as concerning the neurotransmitter/-modulator and receptor expression of possible amygdaloid target neurons. The results are discussed with regard to previously documented properties of the nuclei.

When Richard Goldschmidt' coined the term "intersexuality" in 1915, he intended it to apply to normally dioecious species which exhibit some kind of mixture between male and female characters. However, as knowledge of the bewildering variability present in the sexual orga nization of members of the animal kingdom has increased, the original meaning of the word has changed. Today many authors define inter sexuality as "the presence of both male and female characteristics, or of intermediate sexual characteristics, in a single individual".2 This more extensive and widely accepted concept justifies the title of our book •. Among all the anatomical and physiological features of living organisms the reproductive system has a unique importance for the perpetuation of the species. Conversely, reproductive processes are of little or no account for the viability of the individual. Therefore, within the framework of general biology reproduction has all too often been looked at solely from the point of view of genetics. Lively discussions about genotypic versus phenotypic sex determination long dominated the sci entific literature on sexuality in animals; this one-sided emphasis has tended to obscure many important facets of an organism's ability to reproduce. Recent developments in current biological research have brought the classic problem of sex differentiation into focus again, and the rapid progress being made in comparative endocrinology has added a new di mension to the study of reproductive biology.

This new edition presents an integrated approach to neurotoxicology, the study of organisms’ responses to changes in their environment and how interruption of the flow of information by chemical exposure causes a wide range of effects – from learning deficits, sensory disturbances in the extremities, and muscle weakness to seizures and signs similar to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. It is an essential resource for understanding the sites and mechanisms of neurotoxicity, for formulating testable hypotheses about the effects of neurotoxicants, and for improving the risk assessment process.

Since its discovery 50 years ago, brain dopamine has been implicated in the control of movement and cognition, and is concerned with diverse brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and drug addiction. This book is an illustrated biography of the dopamine molecule, from its synthesis in the brain to its signalling mechanisms and ultimately to its metabolic breakdown. Using colour illustrations of positron emission tomography (PET) scans, each chapter presents a specific stage in the biochemical pathway for dopamine. Writing for researchers and graduate students, Paul Cumming presents a compilation of all that has been learned about dopamine through molecular imaging, a technology which allows the measurement of formerly invisible processes in the living brain. He reviews current technical controversies in the interpretation of dopamine imaging, and presents key results illuminating brain dopamine in illness and health.