Book description
Examines new research on the role of cholesterol in regulating ion
channels and receptors and its effect on health
Drawing together and analyzing all the latest research findings, this
book explores the role of cholesterol in the regulation of ion
channels and receptors, including its pathological effects. It is the
first book to comprehensively describe the complex mechanisms by which
cholesterol regulates two major classes of membrane proteins.
Moreover, it sheds new light on how cholesterol affects essential
cellular functions such as the contraction of the heart, propagation
of nerve impulses, and regulation of blood pressure and kidney function.
Written and edited by leading pioneers in the field, Cholesterol
Regulation of Ion Channels and Receptors is divided into three parts:
- Part I, Cholesterol Regulation of Membrane Properties,
introduces the heterogeneity of cholesterol distribution in
biological membranes and the physical and biological implications
of the formation of cholesterol-rich membrane domains.
- Part II, Cholesterol Regulation of Ion Channels, examines
the mechanisms underlying cholesterol sensitivities of ion
channels, including the regulation of ion channels by cholesterol
as a boundary lipid.
- Part III, Cholesterol Regulation of Receptors, explores
the latest discoveries concerning how cholesterol regulates
distinct types of receptors, including G-protein coupled
receptors, LDL and scavenger receptors, and innate immune system receptors.
Increased levels of cholesterol represent a major health risk.
Understanding cholesterol regulation of ion channels and receptors is
essential for facilitating the development of new therapeutic
strategies to alleviate the impact of pathological cholesterol
conditions. With this book as their guide, readers have access to the
most current knowledge in the field.
IRENA LEVITAN, PhD, is Associate Professor of Medicine at the
University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago. Her research
interests focus on the impact of dyslipidemia on K+ channels and
endothelial biomechanics.
FRANCISCO J. BARRANTES is the former head of the National
Research Council (CONICET) Â- Bahia Blanca and UNESCO Chair of
Biophysics and Molecular Neurobiology. Currently, he is Director of
the Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Professor at the Faculty
of Medical Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina. His
current research interests focus on the understanding of nicotinic
acetylcholine receptor-membrane cross-talk.
