Books in the Colloquium Series on Integrated Systems Physiology series

The airways are lined with a film of fluid 10 ?m deep that acts as the first line of defense against inhaled pathogens, dirt, and noxious vapors. In this title, after reviewing the basic structure of mammalian airway epithelium, the author discusses its various defensive functions and how they are altered in airway disease.

Discusses each vasoregulatory phenomena while also considering evidence for their underlying cellular mechanisms. Further, an attempt is made to integrate the information into complex in vivo situations and consider their relevance to pathophysiological situations.

Provides a simple approach to understand the essential elements of the angiogenic process, critiques the most powerful angiogenesis assays that are used to discover proangiogenic and antiangiogenic substances, and provides an in-depth physiological perspective on how angiogenesis is regulated in normal, healthy tissues of the human body.

Three distinct types of contractions perform colonic motility functions. Rhythmic phasic contractions (RPCs) cause slow net distal propulsion with extensive mixing/turning over. Infrequently occurring giant migrating contractions (GMCs) produce mass movements. Tonic contractions aid RPCs in their motor function. The spatiotemporal patterns of these contractions differ markedly.

Summarizes our current understanding of the factors involved in the regulation of transcapillary fluid movement, how fluid movements across the endothelial barrier and through the interstitium and lymphatic vessels influence cell function and behaviour, and the pathophysiology of edema formation.

The function of the cardiovascular system is strongly affected by the operation of the renal sodium excretion-body fluid volume-arterial pressure negative feedback system that maintains arterial blood pressure at a controlled value over long periods. This volume integrates the basic knowledge of these cardiovascular system components into an understanding of cardiac output regulation.

Reviews the current status of our knowledge of fluid transport across the intestine, including the complexities of transcellular and paracellular ion transport down the length of the intestine and how aberrations of normal physiological processes lead to disease.

Describes the unique anatomy and physiology of the vascular beds that serve the eye. The need for an unobstructed light path from the cornea to the retina and a relatively fixed corneal curvature and distance between refractive structures pose significant challenges for the vasculature to provide nutrients and remove metabolic waste.

Provides an overview of the anatomy and physiology of our respiratory muscles, including their neural control. The book also includes an overview of the basic structure and function of both skeletal and smooth muscles.

Examines the history, aetiology, pathophysiology, symptoms, signs, prognosis, and rational treatment of ascites. During the past decade, our knowledge of the pathophysiology of ascites has increased substantially and more specific therapies are now based on aetiology and pathophysiology. This book reviews recent progress in the pathophysiology of ascites and therapies based on pathophysiology.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a cardiovascular disorder of the peripheral vasculature due to progressive atherosclerotic stenosis of conduit arteries restricting blood flow to tissues. PAD is typically a disease of older individuals. This title discusses PAD signs and symptoms, pathophysiological mechanisms, current management, and future disease targets and possible therapeutic treatments.

The understanding of the pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction (ED) has advanced significantly over the past two decades. This book provides an in-depth analysis of the current knowledge of the pathophysiology of ED in order to provide the reader with an up-to-date and comprehensive understanding of the pathophysiology of ED.

The secretions of the exocrine pancreas provide for digestion of a meal into components that are then available for processing and absorption by the intestinal epithelium. Without the exocrine pancreas, malabsorption and malnutrition result. Examples of pancreatic diseases resulting from dysfunction in cellular mechanisms provide emphasis of the importance of the normal physiologic mechanisms.

Bacteria have lived in and on animal hosts since multicellular life evolved about 1 billion years ago. Hosts provide habitat and nutrition to the microbial communities and derive many benefits from their guests that contribute with metabolic (recovery of energy and nutrients), defensive (barrier effect against invaders) and trophic (immune regulation, neuro-endocrine development) functions.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) influence various physiological processes including host defense, hormone biosynthesis, and cellular signaling. Increased ROS production (oxidative stress) is implicated in many diseases of the cardiovascular system, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, cardiac failure, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease.

Highlights the important role that HO enzymes and their related metabolites, bilirubin and CO, play in the regulation of renal function and in the response of the kidney to both acute and chronic pathologies.

In the intestine, a unique immunological system that is different from the systemic immune system exists to provide adaptive immunity in response to luminal bacteria and dietary antigens. There are many lymphoid cell aggregates called gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) including Peyer's patches (PPs), which function as important induction sites for the mucosal immune response.

The microcirculation of the gastrointestinal tract is under the control of both myogenic and metabolic regulatory systems. The myogenic mechanism contributes to basal vascular tone and the regulation of transmural pressure, while the metabolic mechanism is responsible for maintaining an appropriate balance between O2 demand and O2 delivery.

Vascular smooth muscle (VSM) constitutes most of the tunica media in blood vessels and plays an important role in the control of vascular tone. Ca2+ is a major regulator of VSM contraction and is strictly regulated by an intricate system of Ca2+ mobilization and Ca2+ homeostatic mechanisms.