M. Zeitz - Böcker

This work, the proceedings of Falk Symposium No. 104 - organized in collaboration with the Society of Mucosal Immunology, and held in Saarbrucken, Germany, March 5-7 1998 - is centered around the immunological mechanisms of mucosal protection and their disturbances leading to intestinal inflammation and destruction. This is a rapidly expanding field involving knowledge of basic immunology and cell biology as well as clinical observations. The conference and this book summarize recent data in this field and suggest strategies for future research and clinical applications, and should be of interest to both basic scientists and clinicians.

The gastrointestinal tract has a number of unique features. Its extensive surface is formed by a single layer of rapidly renewing cells, the intestinal epithelial cells. These cells are in contact with a number of other cell populations, including the largest part of the immune system, and with an excessive luminal antigen load, including vast numbers of bacteria. Furthermore two more organs, namely liver and pancreas, are part of the system. The rapid renewal of the epithelial layer, the interactions of different cell types, and the balance between cell proliferation and death, have been fascinating subjects of studies in recent years. Much has been learned, and cytokines have emerged as important mediators for all these interactions and homeostatic systems. This book, the proceedings of the Falk Symposium 113 on "Cytokines and Cell Homeostasis in the Gastrointestinal Tract", held in Regensburg, Germany, 16-18 September 1999, presents the papers from this forum for basic scientists and interested clinicians to exchange ideas, to discuss concepts and to plan further studies.

The first gene responsible for Crohn's disease has now been identified and the pathophysiological understanding of inflammatory bowel disease as well as its practical treatment has made much progress in the early-21st century. Thus it is obviously important to consider the targets and the aims of treatment in context. The Falk Symposium No. 131 (Part II of the Gastroenterology Week Freiburg 2002), held in October 2002 in Freiburg, Germany, in its first part was dedicated to newly defined and partly alternative therapeutic targets. In addition, an attempt was made to learn from experts from other fields such as pneumology or dermatology. The second part was dedicated to the aims of treatment in daily practice. Aside from general treatment, aims such as amelioration of symptoms, pre-conditions of treatment, the view of the patients, and aspects of life quality were dealt with. This volume is the proceedings of the symposium and is useful reading for both clinicians and basic scientists.

Cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions are of fundamental importance for the development and the maintenance of tissues and organs in multicellular organisms. Adhesive processes are mediated and controlled by an increasingly large and complex number of cell adhesion molecules that are anchored to the cell surface membrane by transmembrane domains. According to their structural and functional features, cell adhesion molecules have been classified into at least four major families: the integrins, selectins, cadherins and members of the immunoglobulin superfamily. Apart from linking cells to each other or to components of the extracellular matrix, cell adhesion molecules function also as receptors that interact via their cytoplasmic domain with numerous signalling molecules including protein kinases and phosphatases, G-proteins, or proteins of the -catenin/armadillo family. Cell adhesion molecules can activate various signalling pathways and as a consequence play a crucial role in the regulation of cell differentiation, proliferation, migration and apoptosis.During the last decade it has been recognized that acquired as well as inherited defects of cell adhesion molecules and adhesion-linked signalling molecules are the molecular basis of various types of disease including cancer, infectious and inflammatory disease, connective tissue disorders or blistering disease. This book is the proceedings of a Falk Workshop held in Berlin, Germany, on January 23-24, 2003, which brought together experts in different fields of research to stimulate the transfer of findings from basic research to clinical application. Section I focuses on cell adhesion molecules of the liver and their role in hepatocarcinogenesis and inflammatory liver disease. Section II deals with infection and fibrosis and with transforming growth factor b (TGF-b). Morphogenesis, cell migration and inflammation are the subject of Section III with a focus on the role of integrins in blood cell-endothelial interactions. In Section IV the importance of cell adhesion molecules for cancer and their role as potential targets for cancer therapy is discussed.

In recent years considerable progress has been achieved in regard to our understanding of the induction and modulation of the immune response in the intestinal mucosa. It is clear that this mucosal immune reaction is predominantly steered by certain T-cell populations, which are characterized by their cytokine secretion profile. Less well known are the conditions under which the uptake and processing of a specific antigen leads to a certain immune response, whether it be protective, tolerant or inflammatory. However, here again distinct progress has been made in our understanding. Equally significant for immune regulation in the gut appears to be so-called innate immunity. Every shift of equilibrium in the highly regulated mucosal immune reaction is accompanied by an inflammatory reaction and destruction of the mucosa. In nearly all cases, this inflammatory response is dependent on the presence of bacterial intestinal flora.This book, the proceedings of Falk Symposium 133 on Mechanisms of Intestinal Inflammation: Implications for Therapeutic Intervention in IBD', held in Berlin, Germany, on 10-11 June 2003, summarizes present knowlege in the area of unspecific and specific immune reactions in the gut, recording the gaps in our knowledge and, in particular, presenting the possibilities of targeted intervention. The link to inflammatory bowel diseases - Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis - is always in focus. Chapters by an international panel of basic scientists, clinical researchers and clinicians also record the problems which can originate through today's possible modulation of the immune reaction, setting the basis for review of clinical problems. This book is valuable readings for all scientists and physicians, who, from different perspectives, have an interest in research on IBD and in the clinical management of these diseases.

Despite recent advances, the pathogenesis and therapy of various forms of chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract remains problematical. Especially threatening is the possible complication of the development of a malignant growth, but the role of the chronic inflammatory process in this is not known. Three examples are: H. pylori-induced gastritis is associated with gastric lymphomas and carcinomas; there is an increased incidence of intestinal T-cell lymphomas in tropical sprue; and chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, particularly ulcerative colitis, are associated with an increased incidence of carcinoma. This work contains the Proceedings of Falk Symposium No. 81, held in Berlin, November 3-5, 1994, an extensive exchange of information and opinions between international experts which discussed a state-of-the-art consensus on practical procedures in diagnostics, prophylaxis and therapy.

The main focus of the book is to highlight the role of the immune system in gut and liver diseases and potential interactions of the gut and the liver respectively.

Band 3 der Reihe Ökosystem Darm befaßt sich mit den Abwehrmechanismen im Magen-Darm-Trakt. Dieses Thema ist besonders wichtig, da Ätiologie und Pathogenese verschiedener Erkrankungen des Dünn- und Dickdarmes immer noch weitgehend ungeklärt sind und die immunologischen Abwehrmechanismen möglicherweise dabei eine Schlüsselrolle einnehmen. Die interdisziplinäre Darstellung trägt zum besseren Verständnis dieser Vorgänge bei und ermöglicht dem Arzt gezieltes therapeutisches Vorgehen.