BUCALA RICHARD – författare

Since the discovery of the circulating “fibrocyte” in 1994 as a collagen-producing cell of the peripheral blood, the physiologic and pathologic role of this unique cell populaton has grown steadily. This pioneering new book provides the first comprehensive review of the role of fibrocytes in wound repair, granuloma formation, antigen presentation, scar formation, and various fibrosing disorders such as interstitial lung disease and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. It also includes discussions of the recent studies on the molecular signals that influence fibrocyte migration, proliferation, and function in the context of normal physiology and pathology. The chapters are contributed by the leading researchers in the field.

In recent years, researchers have identified a pivotal, upstream role for macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in the innate immune response. This pioneering book describes this renaissance of knowledge in the biology of MIF. Topics covered include MIF's molecular mechanism of action, its counterregulatory action on the immunosuppressive properties of glucocorticoids, its role in the production of proinflammatory mediators as shown in cell-based and animal studies; and its central role in human inflammation. Human genetic studies have identified allelic forms of the MIF gene, and high-expression alleles have been associated with rheumatoid arthritis, asthma severity, sarcoidosis, atopy, inflammatory bowel disease, and other inflammatory and infectious maladies. The book also discusses the role of MIF as a therapeutic target. Unique structural features of the protein, such as an intrinsic catalytic activity and the recent discovery of its cell surface receptor, offer attractive opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Such approaches are presently in clinical development.

The role of the cytokine, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), in the immune response and in the immunopathogenesis of different inflammatory, autoimmune, and infectious disorders is now well established. The aim of this handbook is to provide an authoritative volume covering all aspects of MIF, from basic molecular biology to structure-function relationships, pathophysiology, genetics, and drug development.Recent studies continue to broaden considerably the role of MIF in both normal physiology and pathology, which range from such diverse areas as oncogenesis, cardiac physiology, and neurodevelopment. MIF's molecular mechanism of action in these contexts is becoming increasingly understood and the role of variant MIF alleles in different conditions continues to be defined. Unique structural features of the protein, such as an intrinsic catalytic activity, and the continuing elucidation of its receptor-dependent mechanism of action offer attractive opportunities for therapeutic intervention. This volume will provide a comprehensive synthesis of the state of the art of MIF science.

This volume provides a comprehensive and multidisciplinary overview of fibrocytes, written by the main researchers in the field. It is aimed at a broad audience of scientists and clinicians with an interest in the role of circulating fibrocytes in the etiopathogenesis of different fibrosing disorders, atherosclerosis, autoimmunity, and cancer.