alpha2-Adrenergic Receptors: Structure, Function and Therapeutic Implications

The study of adrenergic receptors has a long history due to their impact on human physiology, pathology and psychology. They are among the best characterised of the cellular receptors mediating the response of the cell to hormones and neurotransmitters and as such are used as models for a wide range of receptor systems, with knowledge gained from the study of adrenergic receptors being applied to diverse types of cell signaling mechanisms. The ai-adrenergic receptors provide one of the best-known models of the super-family of G-protein coupled receptors.

This book undertakes to cover all angles of current research in ai-adrenergic receptors, each chapter being written by a leader in the field. Starting with an excellent overview of the subject, it provides insights into ligand binding and the effects of site-directed mutagenesis; the transfer of the signal through the G-protein to various effectors and the internal cellular response; receptor trafficking; and the therapeutic implications of the receptors, with the effects of agonists and antagonists.

The scope of this volume makes it an indispensable guide for researchers working on any feature of az-adrenergic receptors. It will also prove valuable to anyone with an interest in the structure and function of G-protein coupled receptors and the mechanisms by which they direct the response of the cell to multiple types of external stimuli.

Stephen M. Lanier is Associate Professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at the Medical University of South Carolina, USA. He obtained his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences, USA, in 1982 and has since been actively involved in research on adrenergic receptors.

Lee E. Limbird is Professor of Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University, USA, where she also holds the Chair. She obtained her Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of North Carolina, USA, in 1973 and in 1994 was awarded the Established Investigator Award of the National Association for Research on Schizophrenia and Depressions.