Cell Signalling

Signaling within and between cells is one of the most important aspects of modern biochemistry and cell biology. An understanding of signalling pathways is vital to a wide range of biologists, from those who are investigating the causes of cancer, to those who are concerned about the impact of environmental pollutants on the ecosystem. The way cells adapt to changing environments, and the way cell dysfunction causes disease, is underpinned by cell signalling events.

Cell Signalling presents a carefully structured and highly accessible introduction to this intricate and rapidly growing field. Starting with an overview of cell signalling and highlighting its importance in many biological systems, the book goes on to explore the key components of extracellular and intracellular signalling mechanisms, before examining how these components come together to create signalling pathways. A focus on common components and concepts, rather than mechanistic detail, allows the reader to gain a thorough understanding of the principles that underpin cell signalling.

Online Resource Centre
The Online Resource Centre to accompany Cell Signalling features:

For students:
- Links to useful websites

For registered adopters of the text:
- Journal Clubs: suggested research papers and discussion questions linked to topics featured in the book
- Figures from the book in electronic format for use in lectures

John T. Hancock, Professor of Cell Signalling, University of the West of England

John Hancock is Professor of Cell Signalling at the University of the West of England. He has had a long standing interest in cell signalling and redox biology, and tries to bring these together as much as possible in his research. In addition to Cell Signalling he has published several reviews on nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species, and most recently on hydrogen sulfide.

Part 1: An overview of signalling
1. Aspects of cellular signalling
2. Pathways are the key to signalling
3. A look at some of the history and techniques of cell signalling
Part 2: Components that comprise signalling pathways
4. Extracellular signals: hormones, cytokines and growth factors
5. Detection of extracellular signals: the role of receptors
6. Protein phosphorylation, kinases and phosphatases
7. Cyclic nucleotides, cyclases and G proteins
8. Inositol phosphate metabolism and roles of membrane lipids
9. Intracellular calcium ions: control of their concentrations and roles in signalling
10. Reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species and redox signalling
Part 3: Selected examples of signalling pathways and events
11. Insulin and the signal transduction cascades it invokes
12. Perception of the environment
13. Signalling in development and for the regulation of gene expression
14. Life, death and apoptosis
Part 4: Final thoughts
15. Cell signalling: importance, complexity and the future