Cell and Tissue Destruction: Mechanisms, Protection, Disorders

Cell and Tissue Destruction: Mechanisms, Protection, and Disorders provides an overview of the main mechanisms responsible for degradation in human beings and summarizes important strategies to counter these mechanisms. This book details the properties and limits of protective mechanisms, along with disturbances to systematic physiological functions. It provides examples of disease states resulting from the limits of protective systems. Three sections consider the physical and chemical reasons for destruction in living systems, protection against cytotoxic components, and the development of pathologic states.

This book provides neuroscientists, cancer researchers and physicians with robust, overall coverage of the interrelated processes involved in cell and tissue destruction in living structures, and concomitant protective mechanisms and their limitations.

Describes the destruction of biological material as a consequence of the highly ordered nature of living structuresSpecifies the main strategies used by cells to overcome destruction, including antioxidative systems, self-repair and growthHighlights basic mechanisms of immune regulationConsiders the development of selected disease scenarios, from the perspective of destructive processes in cells and tissuesDetails organ damage by cytotoxic components as well as septic conditions and multiple organ failure

I. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL REASONS FOR DESTRUCTION IN LIVING SYSTEMS 1. Cells and Organisms as Open Systems 2. Role of Reactive Species in Destructions 3. Oxidation and Reduction of Biological Material

II. PROTECTION AGAINST CYTOTOXIC COMPONENTS AND DESTRUCTIONS 4. Disturbances in Energy Supply 5. Mechanisms of Cell Death 6. Immune Response and Tissue Damage 7. Acute-Phase Proteins and Additional Protective Systems

III. AGEING PROCESSES AND DEVELOPMENT OF PATHOLOGICAL STATES 8. Aging in Complex Multicellular Organisms 9. Cell and Tissue Destruction in Selected Disorders 10. Organ Damage and Failure 11. Conclusions

Appendix: Some Basics About Redox Reactions in Living Systems