The need for publishing acomprehensive review ofa number ofdifferent membrane pathologiesofmuscleand non-musclecells inillnesses ranging from diabetes toheart disease and cancer lies on to the fact that there are several books dealing with the properties ofnormal cell membranes, although there are very few books focussing on the abnormal membrane behavior. Since the membrane is the critical outer barrier of a cell, this membrane could be the first structure to be affected in some diseases. Research is advancing at the cellular level at a very rapid rate. We can now address questions such as: "How and by what is the mechanism underlying membrane ion channel and receptor dysfunction leading to abnormal cell function?" and "What substances cause dysfunction in specific ion channels or receptors?". Such questions bring together the microscopic worldofthecell with the macroscopic manifestation of disease. We believe that a book such as this one would help researchers, physicians, and students to better understand the relationship between cell membrane dysfunction and abnormal function of the cell and tissue. This book is intended for practicing clinicians and academic researchers, as well as resident physicians, medical studentsandgraduatestudents. Hopefully, suchtreatisewillhelp to fill an important gap between basic science and clinical science. We are greatly indebted to all thedistinguishedandhigWy-qualified researchers from university and industrial milieus who contributed to this book. Finally, we would like to thank the publishers for their confidenceand cooperation in making this book available for the medical sciences.

Inhalt

1. Hamster cardiomyopathy: new insights in the pathogenesis of this hereditary disease.- 2. Membrane physiopathology in hereditary cardiomyopathy.- 3. Restructuring of sarcoplasmic reticular membrane during the development of heart disease.- 4. Membrane disfunction and abnormal spontaneous activity: a study in explanted cardiac cells.- 5. Ionic channels involved in the myocardial response to metabolic stress.- 6. Role of Na/H exchanger and [Ca2+]i in electrophysiological responses to acidosis and realkalization in isolated guinea pig ventricular myocytes.- 7. Cardiac cell lines: electrophysiological properties and implications in cardiac disease.- 8. Fetal-like slow Na+ channels in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.- 9. Some smooth muscles possess fast sodium channels.- 10. Regulation of Ca2+ channels in vascular smooth muscle cells by cyclic nucleotides and by G-protein gating.- 11. Role of the R-type Ca2+ channel in cardiovascular physiopathology.- 12. Passive endothelial transport: studies in experimental arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and chronic renal failure.- 13. Pharmacology of the human precursors of endothelin: role of functional receptors and endothelin-converting enzyme.- 14. Carboxyl methylation of proteins in kidney membranes: implications in the repair of damaged proteins and in signal transduction.- 15. Transport systems in kidney basolateral membrane: pathophysiologic implications.- 16. Effect of insulin and glucagon on hepatocellular alanine uptake in normal and streptozocin-induced diabetic rats.- 17. The modulation of membrane ion movements by cholesterol.- 18. Human intestinal brush border membrane hydrolases.- 19. Cytosolic Ca2+ homeostasis in human HeLa carcinoma cells.- 20. Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Analogs: a new class of therapeutic agents.- 21. The role of plasma membrane in the pathogenesis of osteoblastic metastasis.- 22. Receptors for vasoactive peptides and their implications in physiopathology.