The Role Of Heat Shock Proteins In Reproductive System Development And Function

Due to the paucity of reviews on this subject, this volume aims to be timely and promote additional basic and translational research on these proteins in reproductive system development and function within the fields of Anatomy, Embryology and Cell Biology. The breadth of the work being conducted within Reproduction is exemplified by the contributors to this series who will provide reviews on: Grp78 roles in female reproduction, small heat shock proteins/co-chaperones as players in uterine smooth muscle function, the role of heat shock proteins in sperm function and maternal contribution to oogenesis and early embryogenesis, heat shock factors and testes development, HSP90 in ovarian biology and pathology, and the role of HSP70 in regulation of autophagy in pregnancy and parturition.

The book Heat Shock Proteins in Inflammatory Diseases provides the most comprehensive highlight and insight of the expression, function and therapeutic activity of Heat Shock Proteins in inflammatory diseases including sepsis, psoriasis, neurodegenerative diseases, cancers, viral infection and autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Using an integrative approach, the contributors provide a synopsis of the most current updates on the state of HSP in inflammatory diseases. Key basic and clinical research laboratories from major universities, academic medical hospitals, biotechnology and pharmaceutical laboratories around the world have contributed chapters that review present research activity and importantly project the field into the future. The book is a must read for graduate students. medical students, basic science researchers and postdoctoral scholars in the fields of Cancer Biology, Oncology, Translational Medicine, Clinical Research, Biotechnology, Cell & Molecular Medicine, Pharmaceutical Scientists and Researchers involved in Drug Discovery.

Heat shock proteins are emerging as important molecules in the development of cancer and as key targets in cancer therapy. These proteins enhance the growth of cancer cells and protect tumors from treatments such as drugs or surgery. However, new drugs have recently been developed particularly those targeting heat shock protein 90. As heat shock protein 90 functions to stabilize many of the oncogenes and growth promoting proteins in cancer cells, such drugs have broad specificity in many types of cancer cell and offer the possibility of evading the development of resistance through point mutation or use of compensatory pathways. Heat shock proteins have a further property that makes them tempting targets in cancer immunotherapy. These proteins have the ability to induce an inflammatory response when released in tumors and to carry tumor antigens to antigen presenting cells. They have thus become important components of anticancer vaccines. Overall, heat shock proteins are important new targets in molecular cancer therapy and can be approached in a number of contrasting approaches to therapy.

This books provides the most up-to-date reviews on current advances in our understanding of the regulation of heat shock protein responses. Key basic scientists and clinical research laboratories from major universities, academic medical centers and pharmaceutical companies around the world have contributed chapters that review present research activity and importantly project this field into the future. For easy readability, the book is sub divided into four sections, including, Section I - HSP and Stress Responses; Section II - Chaperone Functions of HSP; Section III - HSP in Human Diseases; Section IV - Prognosis & Diagnosis of HSP. The book is a must read for researchers involved in biomedical research, drug discovery and design to improve human health.

Based upon a workshop entitled “The Small HSP World” held in Québec 2-5 October 2014. Twenty-five scientists provided chapters for the book. The chapters are from the best scientists currently working in this field. These colleagues include Arrigo, Benesch, Benjamin, Buchner-Haslbeck-Weinkauf, Benndorf, Boelens, Carra, Chang, Currie, Ecroyd, Emanuelsson, Fu, Garrido, Golenhofen, Gusev, Hightower, Kampinga, Lavoie, MacRae, Quinlan, Tanguay, Vierling, Vigh, Weeks and Wu. Briefly, the book starts with the structure of small heat shock proteins, moving to their functions and finishing with their involvement in diseases. Although this is quite broad, the structural aspect will be the unifying theme of the book.

This book makes a novel synthesis of the molecular aspects of the stress response and long term adaptation processes with the system biology approach of biological networks. Authored by an exciting mixture of top experts and young rising stars, it provides a comprehensive summary of the field and identifies future trends.