W. Reutter - Böcker

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.

Many thought that the 'German question', that had shaped European history so catastrophically in the last century, had been solved for good in 1990. The book addresses these issues by examining the policies and politics of the Red-Green government and by putting recent changes and developments in this country in a long-term perspective.

Many thought that the 'German question', that had shaped European history so catastrophically in the last century, has been solved for good in 1990. And the last elections seemed to confirm that Germany was on the road to 'normalcy'. However, at the beginning of the new century, many see Germany as a problem case in Europe. This raises the question about the future of Germany and the performance of the incumbent government. The book addresses these issues by examining the policies and politics of the Red Green government and by putting recent changes and developments in this country in a long term perspective.