Insights Into Human Neurodegeneration Lessons Learnt From Drosophila

This book is aimed at generating an updated reservoir of scientific endeavors undertaken to unravel the complicated yet intriguing topic of neurodegeneration. Scientists from Europe, USA and India who are experts in the field of neurodegenerative diseases have contributed to this book. This book will help readers gain insight into the recent knowledge obtained from Drosophila model, in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disorders and also unravel novel scopes for therapeutic interventions. Different methodologies available to create humanized fly models that faithfully reflects the pathogenicities associated with particular disorders have been described here. It also includes information on the exciting area of neural stem cells. A brief discussion on neurofibrillary tangles, precedes the elaborate description of lessons learnt from Drosophila about Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, Spinomuscular Atrophy, Huntington’s diseases, RNA expansion disorders and Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia. We have concluded the book with the use of Drosophila for identifying pharmacological therapies for neurodegenerative disorders. The wide range of topics covered here will not only be relevant for beginners who are new to the concept of the extensive utility of Drosophila as a model to study human disorders; but will also be an important contribution to the scientific community, with an insight into the paradigm shift in our understanding of neurodegenerative disorders. Completed with informative tables and communicative illustrations this book will keep the readers glued and intrigued. We have comprehensively anthologized the lessons learnt on neurodegeneration from Drosophila and have thus provided an insight into the multidimensional aspects of pathogenicities of majority of the neurodegenerative disorders.

Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) is a highly versatile model with a genetic legacy of more than a century. It provides powerful genetic, cellular, biochemical and molecular biology tools to address many questions extending from basic biology to human diseases. One of the most important questions in biology is how a multi-cellular organism develops from a single-celled embryo. The discovery of the genes responsible for pattern formation has helped refine this question and has led to other questions, such as the role of various genetic and cell biological pathways in regulating the process of pattern formation and growth during organogenesis. The Drosophila eye model has been extensively used to study molecular genetic mechanisms involved in patterning and growth. Since the genetic machinery involved in the Drosophila eye is similar to humans, it has been used to model human diseases and homology to eyes in other taxa. This updated second edition covers current progress in the study of molecular genetic mechanisms of pattern formation, mutations in axial patterning, genetic regulation of growth, and more using the Drosophila eye as a model.

Handbook of Animal Models in Neurological Disorders will better readers’ understanding of a large variety of animal models and their applicability in studying a number of neurological disorders. Featuring sections on brain injury, stroke and neuroinflammation, this volume discusses in detail the utility, success and pitfalls of multiple models for each condition. Multiple disorders are covered, ranging from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS, to multiple sclerosis, headache, migraine, and others. With expert authors, this book has applicability for anyone pursuing neuroscience or biomedical research working to better understand, study and ultimately treat neurological dysfunction. Summarizes animal models for a variety of neurological conditions Contains chapter abstracts, key facts, a dictionary and a summary Covers both neurodegenerative diseases and other neurological conditions Compares and contrasts different models and experimental systems Includes sections on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, brain injury, migraine, multiple sclerosis, and more

Anti-Aging Drug Discovery on the Basis of Hallmarks of Aging is a comprehensive and timely book on all aspects of anti-aging strategies. The book provides comprehensive, foundational knowledge on the mechanisms of aging and current anti-aging strategies and approaches developed. Aging research has experienced an unprecedented advance over recent years with the discovery that the rate of aging is determined, at least to some extent, mainly by our genetics and modulated by environmental factors. The hallmarks of aging describe the molecular and cellular processes that govern biological aging and their variation in individuals. Covers different aspects of anti-aging research, from foundational knowledge to future perspectives Provides understanding on the different hallmarks of aging and how they can be applied in the development of anti-aging drugs Discusses various anti-aging strategies, including telomerase reactivation, clearance of senescent cells, stem cell-based therapy, and others

Transcriptome Profiling: Progress and Prospects assists readers in assessing and interpreting a large number of genes, up to and including an entire genome. It provides key insights into the latest tools and techniques used in transcriptomics and its relevant topics which can reveal a global snapshot of the complete RNA component of a cell at a given time. This snapshot, in turn, enables the distinction between different cell types, different disease states, and different time points during development. Transcriptome analysis has been a key area of biological inquiry for decades. The next-generation sequencing technologies have revolutionized transcriptomics by providing opportunities for multidimensional examinations of cellular transcriptomes in which high-throughput expression data are obtained at a single-base resolution. Transcriptome analysis has evolved from the detection of single RNA molecules to large-scale gene expression profiling and genome annotation initiatives. Written by a team of global experts, key topics in Transcriptome Profiling include transcriptome characterization, expression analysis of transcripts, transcriptome and gene regulation, transcriptome profiling and human health, medicinal plants transcriptomics, transcriptomics and genetic engineering, transcriptomics in agriculture, and phylotranscriptomics. Presents recent development in the tools and techniques in transcriptomic characterization Integrates expression analysis of transcripts and gene regulation Includes the application of transcriptomics in human health, genetic engineering and agriculture

Reproductive toxicology is a complex subject dealing with three components—parent, placenta, and fetus—and the continuous changes that occur in each. Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology is a comprehensive and authoritative resource providing the latest literature enriched with relevant references describing every aspect of this area of science. It addresses a broad range of topics including nanoparticles and radiation, gases and solvents, smoking, alcohol and drugs of abuse, food additives, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, and metals, among others. With a special focus on placental toxicity, this book is the only available reference to connect the three key risk stages, and is the only resource to include reproductive and developmental toxicity in domestic animals, fish, and wildlife. Provides a complete, integrated source of information on the key risk stages during reproduction and development Includes coverage of emerging science such as stem cell application, toxicoproteomics, metabolomics, phthalates, infertility, teratogenicity, endocrine disruption, surveillance and regulatory considerations, and risk assessment Offers diverse and unique in vitro and in vivo toxicity models for reproductive and developmental toxicity testing in a user-friendly format that assists in comparative analysis

This book contains 12 chapters divided into two sections. Section 1 is "Drosophila - Model for Genetics." It covers introduction, chromosomal polymorphism, polytene chromosomes, chromosomal inversion, chromosomal evolution, cell cycle regulators in meiosis and nongenetic transgenerational inheritance in Drosophila. It also includes ecological genetics, wild-type strains, morphometric analysis, cytostatics, frequencies of early and late embryonic lethals (EEL and LEL) and mosaic imaginal discs of Drosophila for genetic analysis in biomedical research. Section 2 is "Drosophila - Model for Therapeutics." It explains Drosophila as model for human diseases, neurodegeneration, heart-kidney metabolic disorders, cancer, pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease, dopamine, neuroprotective therapeutics, mitochondrial dysfunction and translational research. It also covers Drosophila role in ubiquitin-carboxyl-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1) protein, eye development, anti-dUCH antibody, neuropathy target esterase (NTE), organophosphorous compound-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN) and hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). It also includes substrate specificities, kinetic parameters of recombinant glutathione S-transferases E6 and E7 (DmGSTE6 and DmGSTE7), detoxification and insecticidal resistance and antiviral immunity in Drosophila.