The Hemopoietic Colony-stimulating Factors From Biology to Clinical Applications

The colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) are the major regulators in the body of the production and activity of two types of white blood cells - granulocytes and macrophages. This book provides a detailed account of the discovery of the CSFs, their structure, molecular biology and cellular receptors, the biology of the CSFs in vivo and in vitro and their present and future clinical applications. Written by two of the pioneers in the discovery of CSFs, it is a clear and well-illustrated survey of the history, knowledge and future directions of this exciting field of investigation, and serves also as a guide to the more general areas of growth factor and cytokine research. It will prove an invaluable review for cell biologists interested in how growth factors act on the body, as well as for clinicians applying the fruits of modern biotechnology to improved patient care.

Preface; 1. Historical introduction; 2. General introduction to hemopoiesis; 3. Key techniques in analyzing hemopoiesis; 4. Biochemistry of the colony-stimulating factors; 5. Biochemistry of the colony-stimulating factor receptors; 6. Molecular genetics of the colony-stimulating factors and their receptors; 7. Biological actions of the colony-stimulating factors in vitro; 8. The biology of colony-stimulating factor production, degradation and clearance; 9. Actions of the colony-stimulating factors in vivo; 10. Role of the colony-stimulating factors in basal hemopoiesis; 11. Actions of the colony-stimulating factors in resistance to infections; 12. Role of the colony-stimulating factors in other disease states; 13. The colony-stimulating factors and myeloid leukemia; 14. Clinical uses of the colony-stimulating factors; 15. Conclusions; References; Index.

Written by two of the pioneers in the discovery of CSFs, this is a detailed account for cell biologists and clinicians of the colony-stimulating factors (CSFs), their discovery, structure, molecular biology and cellular receptors, their biology in vivo and in vitro and their clinical applications.