The past two decades may well become known as the golden era of neurobiology. This field, that in the first half of this century seemed far too complex to be investigated with the low resolution techniques available to the investigators, suddenly blossomed in the second half of the century into one of the most promising areas of biology, thanks to discoveries which took place practically simultaneously in most areas of neurobiological research. Here we mention only some of the most important: the discovery of the large number of neurotransmitters from monoamines to peptides, the identification of the mechanism of action of different agents through their binding to specific receptors, the recognition that neuro transmitters act most of the time through a second messenger, and the discovery that growth and differentiation of nerve cells depend on activation by the protein molecule; all these were recognized I!S specific growth facts, of which the NGF was both the frrst to be dis covered and the object of the most intensive investigation. Recently, the development of highly sophisticated techniques such as recombinant DNA and monoclonal antibodies has been suc cessfully applied at the cellular and subeellular level to the study of nerve cells, neuronal cell population, and to the mechanism of their interaction. Studies pursued with the collaboration of different investigators all over the world have opened a new panorama of the tremendous complexity of the CNS, from the neuron to the whole organism.

Autorentext
Eric Kandel, geboren 1929 in Wien, ist einer der bedeutendsten Neurowissenschaftler des 20. Jahrhunderts. 1939 emigrierte er mit seiner jüdischen Familie in die USA. Kandel studierte Geschichte und Literatur an der Harvard University und danach Medizin an der New York University. Seit 1974 ist er Professor an der Columbia University in New York. Für seine Forschung erhielt Eric Kandel im Jahr 2000 den Nobelpreis für Medizin. Unter dem Titel "Auf der Suche nach dem Gedächtnis. Die Entstehung einer neuen Wissenschaft des Geistes" erschien Kandels Lebens- und Forschungsgeschichte, die zwei Jahre später unter dem gleichen Titel auch verfilmt wurde.

Inhalt
Interrelationships of Cellular Mechanisms for Different Forms of Learning and Memory.- Serotonin Modulates the Action Potential in Growth Cone Precursors of Sensory Neuron Terminals in Aplysia.- Serotonin and cAMP Mediate Plastic Changes in Swimming Activity of Hirudo m..- NGF Modulates the Synthesis of a Nuclear Lactic Dehydrogenase with Single-stranded DNA-Binding Properties.- Molecular Cloning of a Gene Sequence Induced by NGF in PC12 Cells.- Thymocytes as Potential Target Cells for Nerve Growth Factor.- Expression of the v-src Oncogene Induces Differentiation in PC12 Cells.- Serum Influences ?-NGF Gene Expression in Mouse L Cells.- Isolation of Glia Maturation Factor with HPLC and Verification with a Monoclonal Antibody.- Nicotinic Receptors from Different Peripheral Organs and from Brain are Highly Homologous, Complex Proteins.- Structure and Function of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor and of the Voltage-dependent Na+-Channel.- Molecular Cloning of Receptors for Acetylcholine.- The Molecular Biology of Acetylcholine Receptors from the Vertebrate Peripheral and Central Nervous Systems.- Regulation of Synapse-specific Genes.- Asymmetrical Distribution of Membrane-bound Cytoskeleton Proteins at the Innervated and Non-innervated Membrane Domains in Torpedo Electrocytes.- In Search of the Binding Site of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor.- Identification of Acetylcholine Receptors from the Central Nervous System of Insects.- The GABA/Benzodiazepine Receptor Complex: Function, Structure and Location.- TBPS Binding to the GABA/Benzodiazepine Receptor Complex in Cultured Cerebellar Granule Cells.- Distribution and Transmembrane Organization of Glycine Receptors at Central Synapses: an Immunocytochemical Touch.- Modulation of a Potassium Channel in Aplysia SensoryNeurons: Role of Protein Phosphorylation.- Voltage-gated Sodium Potassium and Chloride Channels in Rat Cultured Astrocytes.- Molecular Weights of Subunits of the Na+ Channel and a Ca2+-activated K+ Channel in Rat Brain.- The Differentiation of Cell Types in the Vertebrate CNS.- The Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule in Development: Examples of Differential Adhesion.- Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Adhesion in Neurogenesis.- Radial Organization of the Cerebral Cortex: Genetic and Phylogenetic Determinants.- Regulation of Dorsal Root Ganglia Proteins and Genes During Early Development and Synaptogenesis.- Astrocytic Cell Clones from Mouse Cerebella Induce Differentiation of Embryonic Neuroblasts.- Cell Interactions in the Morphogenesis of the Neural Crest.- Persistent Rabies Virus Infection of Neuronal Cells Causes Defects in Neuroreceptor Regulation.- Plasminogen Activator (PA) in Muscle, Its Activation Postdenervation.- Adhesive Basement Membrane (BM) Proteins are Degraded by Plasminogen Activator in the Presence of Plasminogen.- Soybean Lectin Binding to the Olfactory System of Xenopus.- Isolation of cDNA Clones Encoding Neurofilament Proteins.- The Murine Thy-1 Gene.- Molecular Diversity and Neuronal Function.- Estrogen-induced Accumulation of mRNA in Selected Brain Areas.- Neuronotrophic Activity for CNS Neurons Extracted from Bovine Caudate Nucleus: Partial Purification and Characterization.