Cell Fusions Regulation and Control [Paperback]

Cell fusions are important to fertilization, placentation, development of skeletal muscleand bone, calcium homeostasis and the immune defence system. Additionally, cellfusions participate in tissue repair and may be important to cancer development, progression and therapy. A large number of factors regulate cell fusions, including receptorsand ligands, membrane domain organizing proteins, proteases, signaling molecules andfusogenic proteins that bring membranes close together.In the present volume, we interrogate what mechanisms that may be important to cell fusions in mammals and what mechanisms that may be shared with lower organisms and viruses. Additionally, the importance of cell fusions to the pathogenesis as well as treatment of diseases is addressed.Cell fusions participate in tissue repair and may be important to cancer development and progression. This book covers this rapidly evolving field. It details true fusogens as well as the mechanisms regulating the activities of the fusogens.Cell fusions are important to fertilization, placentation, development of skeletal muscle and bone, calcium homeostasis and the immune defence system. Additionally, cell fusions participate in tissue repair and may be important to cancer development and progression. A large number of factors appear to regulate cell fusions, including receptors and ligands, membrane domain organizing proteins, proteases, signaling molecules and fusogenic proteins forming alpha-helical bundles that bring membranes close together.The purpose of the planned volume is to sum up current knowledge about mechanisms regulating and controlling cell fusions. The field has expanded vastly within the past few years and leaders in the field will be invited to contribute with current overviews of their specific areas of knowledge. Attention will be paid both to true fusogens like proteins encoded by the viral (e.g. HIV), caenorhabdidtis (EFF) mammalian and human (e.g. syncytins and Pb-1) genomes as well as tlã>