Life and Death in the Nervous System

Hardbound. In multicellular organisms, survival, proliferation and differentiation of a given cell depend upon signals produced by other cells, resulting in the coordinated development and function of the various tissues and organs. In the nervous system, the social control of cell survival and differentiation is achieved through the action of distinct groups of polypeptides collectively known as neurotrophic factors. Through the study of nerve growth factor (NGF), the other members of the neurotrophin family and other neurotrophic molecules, we have begun to understand the mechanisms that govern life and death in the nervous system. The collection of chapters in this book offers a comprehensive view of the state-of-the-art in one of the fastest growing fields of neuroscience. From the details of their atomic structure, to the devastating consequences of gene ablation, these pages summarize our current knowledge on neurotrophic factors and their receptors