The regulation of cell death in various reproductive tissues, as in other ma­ jor organ systems of the body, has become a focal point of research activity in many laboratories over the past few years. As such, the need for a "for­ mal" meeting to highlight recent work in this field, as well as to integrate knowledge from other sources (such as investigators working on cell death in cancer and immune function) in the broad context of identifying con­ served pathways that coordinate life-and-death decisions in diverse cell types, became apparent. Therefore, the goals of the Scientific Committee of the International Symposium on Cell Death in Reproductive Physiology, spon­ sored by Serono Symposia USA, were already predetermined by this need. Simply stated, we sought to bring together for the first time a select cohort of reproductive biologists and cell death researchers, many but not all cho­ sen based on their pioneering efforts in elucidating the fundamental aspects of apoptosis in reproductive and nonreproductive tissues, as a means to re­ view the current status of the field, foster new ideas, and promote scientific collaborations. In the ensuing chapters of this book, summaries of work dis­ cussed at the meeting are presented to emphasize both the diversity and the similarities in the occurrence and regulation of apoptosis in tissues of the male and female reproductive systems.

Inhalt

1. Dissecting the Functions, Mechanisms, and Genes of Physiological Cell Death in Reproductive Tissues: An Overview.- 2. C. elegansas a Model System for Germ Cell Death.- 3. Stem Cell Factor Regulation of Apoptosis in Mouse Primordial Germ Cells.- 4. Developmental Consequences of Programmed Cell Death in Human Preimplantation Embryos.- 5. Control of Apoptosis in the Uterus During Decidualization.- 6. Molecular Mechanisms of Müllerian Inhibiting Substance-Mediated Apoptosis.- 7. A Program of Cell Death and Extracellular Matrix Degradation in Fetal Membranes Prior to Labor.- 8. Apoptosis-Susceptible Versus -Resistant Granulosa Cells From Hen Ovarian Follicles.- 9. Ultrastructural Aspects of cAMP and p53-Mediated Apoptosis in Normal and ras-Transformed Granulosa Cells.- 10. Regulation of Apoptosis Versus Mitosis in Immature Granulosa Cells.- 11. Cell-to-Cell Contact and the Role of Cadherins in Cell Survival.- 12. The Central Role of Basement Membrane in Functional Differentiation, Apoptosis, and Cancer.- 13. Reactive Oxygen Species and Antioxidants in Luteal Cell Demise.- 14. Potential Regulators of Physiological Cell Death in the Corpus Luteum.- 15. ICER and the Nuclear Response to cAMP.- 16. Clinical Ramifications of Apoptosis in the Human Testis.- 17. Apoptosis and Tumor Invasion in Hormone-Dependent Cancers.- 18. Cell Volume Regulation and the Movement of Ions During Apoptosis.- 19. Apoptosis in the Ovary: The Role of DNase I.- 20. Synthetic Estrogen-Mediated Alterations in Uterine Cell Fate.- Author Index.