Handbook Of Growth Factors

Volume I of this book provides a comprehensive discussion of the factors involved in regulation of the cell cycle, the general biological properties of growth factors, and the receptor and postreceptor mechanisms of action of these signaling agents. It evaluates the possible role of growth factors in the regulation of proto-oncogene and tumor suppressor gene expression, and the development of neoplastic processes is discussed in detail.

Volume II of Handbook of Growth Factors presents a stimulating discussion of the best-characterized polypeptide growth factors, including insulin, insulin-like growth factors, epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factors, neurotrophic growth factors, and transforming growth factors. The structure and function of each growth factor is discussed, as well as its receptor and postreceptor mechanism of action and its role in neoplastic processes. Regulatory peptides with growth factor-like properties such as bombesin, angiotensin, endothelin, atrial natriuretic factor, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and bradykinin are examined in depth. Factors related to the growth of organs such as the prostate, the heart, and the mammary gland are also covered.

Volume I of this book provides a comprehensive discussion of the factors involved in regulation of the cell cycle, the general biological properties of growth factors, and the receptor and postreceptor mechanisms of action of these signaling agents. It evaluates the possible role of growth factors in the regulation of proto-oncogene and tumor suppressor gene expression, and the development of neoplastic processes is discussed in detail.

Handbook of Growth Factors, Volume III is devoted to hematopoiesis and its regulation by endogenous factors with growth stimulatory and growth inhibitory properties. The book provides detailed discussions on signaling agents related to the regulation of hematopoiesis, including the interleukins, the colony-stimulating factors, the interferons, the tumor necrosis factors, the erythropoietic growth factors, the platelet-derived growth factor, the leukemia inhibitory factor, and the transferrins. The structure and function of each factor is covered in detail, as well as its receptor and postreceptor mechanism of action and its possible role in neoplastic processes. The book also explores the present state of the knowledge about megakaryocyte growth factors and macrophage-derived growth factors.

From a logical point of view, cell division is regulated by the environment and by the ability of the cell to respond to the environmental signals. The terminology of the cell cycle, the elaborate mathematical models, and the kinetic analyses are all convenient notations and descriptions of the behavior of populations of cells. However, they tell us very little about the fundamental molecular mechanisms that control cell proliferation. Stated in other terms, what controls cell reproduction are growth factors in the environment and genes and gene products inside the cell or at its surface. This book examines the aforementioned growth factors, the study of which has made very rapid progress in the past few years. The selection of topics has been influenced by logistic considerations, but the book, as a whole, gives a broad survey of the state of the art of this exciting field. For this, thanks are due to the contributors, who have given much time to the preparation of the manuscripts and have met the deadline with a punctuality that is uncommon among biomedical scientists. I would also like to thank Ms. NORA PERRETT and the staff of Springer-Verlag for their help in editing the manuscripts and in preparing the production of the book.

There has been a major expansion of interest in growth factors reflecting their very important role in the regulation of the proliferation and differentiation of specific cell types. A large number of growth factors have already been identified but this probably represents only a fraction of all those that exist. This book is a step-by-step guide to studying growth factors, from the initial search for and characterization of new activities, to sophisticated in vivo analysis and molecular biology approaches such as DNA cloning. It also covers the detection and study of growth inhibitory factors. Growth Factors: A Practical Approach is an invaluable practical guide for both those entering growth factor research for the first time and more experienced researchers. As well as covering a wide variety of techniques, this book includes a valuable appendix covering all known growth factors.