Despite the considerable success in treating diseases of the heart and blood vessels, they still remain the major cause of mortality throughout the world. One of the reasons underlying this problem is our lack of understanding of the molecular and cellular aspects of the processes involved.
These problems are fully discussed in Cellular Interactions in Cardiac Pathophysiology , which draws together 25 contributions from leading investigators from all parts of the world. The contributions are grouped under three headings: Extracellular matrix and cardiocyte interaction; Myocytic adaptations and myocardial injury; and Signal transduction.

Inhalt
I: Extracellular matrix and cardiocyte interaction.- Role of early reperfusion in the induction of adhesion molecules and cytokines in previously ischemic myocarium.- Importance of monocytes/macrophages and fibroblasts for healing of micronecroses in porcine myocardium.- Cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion molecules in human heart and lung transplants.- Progression of heart failure: A role for interstitial fibrosis.- Chronic hibernating myocardium: Interstitial changes.- Differences between atrial and ventricular protein profiling in children with congenital heart disease.- Ventricular remodeling: insights from pharmacologic interventions with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.- Factors involved in capillary growth in the heart.- Biomechanical signals in the coronary artery triggering the metabolic processes during cardiac overload.- II: Myocytic adaptation and myocardial injury.- Oxidative stress and heart failure.- Structural and biochemical remodelling in catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy: Comparative and ontogenetic aspects.- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, left ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis.- Influence of global ischemia on the sarcolemmal ATPases in the rat heart.- Response of the rat heart to catecholamines and thyroid hormones.- On the mechanism and possible therapeutic application of delayed adaptation of the heart to stress situations.- Ischaemic precondition in the rat heart: The role of G-proteins and adrenergic stimulation.- Adaptation of the heart to ischemia by preconditioning: Effects on energy equilibrium, properties of sarcolemmal ATPases and release of cardioprotective proteins.- Inhibition of cardiac sarcolemma Na+-K+ ATPase by oxyradical generating systems.- III: Signal transduction.- Alterations of?-adrenocepter-G-protein-regulated adenylyl cyclase in heart failure.- Immunocytochemical studies of the Gi Protein mediated muscarinic receptor-adenylyl cyclase system.- Renaissance of cytochemical localization of membrane ATPases in the myocardium.- Effects of selective ?1A-adrenoceptor antagonists on reperfusion arrhythmias in isolated rat hearts.- The role of catecholamines on intercellular coupling, myocardial cell synchronization and self ventricular defibrillation.- Inhibition of (Na/K)-ATPase by electrophilic substances: Functional implications.- Index to Volume 147.