E-Book Overview
Volume 322 of Methods in Enzymology is dedicated to apoptosis. Major topics covered include measuring apoptosis and apoptosis-induced endonucleases, measuring apoptosis in lower organisms, proteases involved in apoptosis and their inhibitors, cell free systems for monitoring steps in apoptosis pathways, mitochondria and apoptosis, bCl-2 family proteins, and studying receptors and signal transduction events implicated in cell survival and cell death. The critically acclaimed laboratory standard for more than forty years, Methods in Enzymology is one of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry. Since 1955, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now with more than 300 volumes (all of them still in print), the series contains much material still relevant today - truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of life sciences.
E-Book Content
Preface At present, apoptosis research represents the fastest growing area of scientific inquiry in all of the life sciences. The importance of programmed cell death in a broad range of normal physiological processes has attracted thousands of researchers to the area. Moreover, the clear relevance of apoptosis to many diseases has also encouraged a veritable stampede of biomedical researchers to the field. It is entirely appropriate, therefore, that this volume of "Methods in Enzymology" be devoted to apoptosis. Like any field of biomedical research, and perhaps more than many, apoptosis and cell death research is rapidly evolving and so too are the methods used in its study. Indeed, the list of topics directly relevant to apoptosis research grows yearly as additional connections are made between known components of cell death pathways and new, sometimes unexpected, molecules or systems, which occasionally can represent entire discip