Receptor Desensitization and Ca2+-Signaling Cellular Aspects of Possible Molecular Dynamics

The last decade has witnessed a wealth of new information on the mechanisms underlying cell signaling. Molecular approaches have revealed the identity and structure of many of the receptor proteins which permit cells to respond to different chemical signals. An important mechanism regulating receptor function is desensitization, i.e. the suppression of a cellular response induced by the continuous presence of a constant agonist stimulus. This book features selected studies on receptor-mediated desensitization in various cells and tissues triggered by Ca2+. Post-receptor mechanisms are also considered. The contributions focus on muscarinic, histamine and adrenergic receptor systems as well as the phosphoinositidase C signaling pathway. The authoritative information compiled in this book will not only prove of great value to researchers interested in signal transduction but is also crucial for the development of new drugs.