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Lipids are the most abundant organic compounds found in the brain, accounting for up to 50% of its dry weight. The brain lipidome includes several thousands of distinct biochemical structures whose expression may greatly vary according to age, gender, brain region, cell type, as well as subcellular localization. In synaptic membranes, brain lipids specifically interact with neurotransmitter receptors and control their activity. Moreover, brain lipids play a key role in the generation and neurotoxicity of amyloidogenic proteins involved in the pathophysiology of neurological diseases. The aim

Brain Chemistry. --- Brain Diseases. --- Lipids. --- Lipid Metabolism. --- Synaptic Transmission. --- Membrane Microdomains.

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Plasmodesmata (PD) are plant-specific intercellular nanopores defined by specialised domains of the plasma membrane (PM) and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), both of which contain unique proteins, and probably different lipid compositions than the surrounding bulk membranes. The PD membranes form concentric tubules with a minimal outer diameter of only 50 nm, and the central ER strand constricted to ~10-15 nm, representing one of the narrowest stable membrane tubules in nature. This unique membrane architecture poses many biophysical, structural and functional questions. PM continuity across PD raises the question as to how a locally confined membrane site is established and maintained at PD. There is increasing evidence that the PM within PD may be enriched in membrane ‘rafts’ or TET web domains. Lipid rafts often function as signalling platforms, in line with the emerging view of PD as central players in plant defense responses. Lipid-lipid immiscibility could also provide a mechanism for membrane sub- compartmentalisation at PD. Intricate connections of the PM to the wall and the underlying cytoskeleton and ER may anchor the specialised domains locally. The ER within PD is even more strongly modified. Its extreme curvature suggests that it is stabilised by densely packed proteins, potentially members of the reticulon family that tubulate the cortical ER. The diameter of the constricted ER within PD is similar to membrane stalks in dynamin-mediated membrane fission during endocytosis and may need to be stabilised against spontaneous rupture. The function of this extreme membrane constriction, and the reasons why the ER is connected between plant cells remain unknown. Whilst the technically challenging search for the protein components of PD is ongoing, there has been significant recent progress in research on biological membranes that could benefit our understanding of PD function. With this Research Topic, we therefore aim to bring together researchers in the PD field and those in related areas, such as membrane biophysics, membrane composition and fluidity, protein-lipid interactions, lateral membrane heterogeneity, lipid rafts, membrane curvature, and membrane fusion/fission.

Plant cells and tissues. --- Plant cell culture. --- Plasmodesmata. --- lipid rafts --- membrane curvature --- plasmodesmata --- membrane microdomains --- plasma membrane --- protein-lipid interaction --- endoplasmic reticulum --- super-resolution microscopy

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Lipid rafts-discrete regions in cell membranes that are rich in cholesterol and sphingolipids-are emerging not only as pivotal command and control centers for cellular signaling processes, but also as central to a wide array of human diseases, including immune disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer's disease. In Membrane Microdomain Signaling: Lipid Rafts in Biology and Medicine, multidisciplinary experts offer cutting-edge reviews of our current understanding of these membrane microdomains and their physiological and pathological roles. Here, readers will discover how lipid rafts change in cells over time and how they respond to various environmental signals, how cholesterol modulates the signaling function of lipid rafts, and how lipid rafts, the extracellular matrix, and the cell cytoskeleton structurally interact. Also described are the role of lipid rafts in learning, memory, and cancer, and as portals for endocytic uptake of an anticancer- and apoptotic alkyl-lysophospholipid. The authors also present emerging evidence that lipid rafts play critical roles in signaling pathways and the regulation of synaptic function in the nervous system, and that alterations in lipid raft metabolism are implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. They also describe techniques for the isolation of lipid rafts, the analysis of the lipid and protein components of lipid rafts, the imaging of lipid rafts in living cells, and the analysis of signal transduction in lipid rafts. Comprehensive and insightful, Membrane Microdomain Signaling: Lipid Rafts in Biology and Medicine offers researchers a multidisciplinary review of the latest basic, translational, and clinical research that promises to transform our understanding microdomain signaling mechanisms.

Membrane Microdomains --- Apoptosis --- Lipids --- Signal Transduction --- Synapses --- Membrane lipids --- Cellular signal transduction --- Lipides membranaires --- Transduction du signal cellulaire --- pathology --- physiology --- metabolism --- Apoptosis. --- Cellular signal transduction. --- Membrane lipids. --- Metabolism --- Physiology --- Lipid Metabolism --- Pathology --- Biochemical Processes --- Nervous System --- Cell Membrane Structures --- Metabolic Phenomena --- Chemicals and Drugs --- Cell Death --- Cell Physiological Processes --- Medicine --- Intercellular Junctions --- Biological Science Disciplines --- Phenomena and Processes --- Natural Science Disciplines --- Biochemical Phenomena --- Cell Membrane --- Cell Physiological Phenomena --- Chemical Processes --- Health Occupations --- Anatomy --- Cellular Structures --- Disciplines and Occupations --- Chemical Phenomena --- Cells --- Cytology --- Animal Biochemistry --- Human Anatomy & Physiology --- Biology --- Health & Biological Sciences --- Cellular information transduction --- Information transduction, Cellular --- Signal transduction, Cellular --- Life sciences. --- Cell biology. --- Life Sciences. --- Cell Biology. --- Bioenergetics --- Cellular control mechanisms --- Information theory in biology --- Membranes (Biology)

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For more than a decade, caveolin proteins have attracted a lot of attention in the field of cancer research. Additional roles besides maintaining the structural integrity of caveolae (meaning “little caves” in latin) have been attributed to these complex proteins. In fact, they have emerged as important regulators of cell signaling, proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis. The current book focuses on caveolin-1, the best-studied and well- characterized of all three caveolin family members (caveolin-1, -2 and -3). As such, the current chapters illustrate the roles of caveolin-1 in breast, prostate, skin, colon, brain and pancreatic cancers, and highlight its specific contribution to tumor growth through epithelial and stromal interactions, as well as its involvement in angiogenesis. This book summarizes the existing literature and provides interesting new perspectives on future advancement and therapeutic possibilities involving caveolins in cancer. This work brings together highly respected and experienced scientists in the field of caveolins who wrote informative chapters on the role of caveolin-1 in cancer in a format that conveys its role as both a tumor suppressor and tumor promoter. We invite you to read, enjoy and be part of these new promising discoveries that are rapidly advancing the field of cancer research.

Carcinogenesis. --- Carcinogenesis --- Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing --- Diseases --- Phosphoproteins --- Biological Markers --- Coated Pits, Cell-Membrane --- Membrane Microdomains --- Metabolic Phenomena --- Biological Science Disciplines --- Caveolins --- Biochemical Processes --- Medicine --- Coated Vesicles --- Cell Physiological Processes --- Health Occupations --- Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins --- Carrier Proteins --- Phenomena and Processes --- Transport Vesicles --- Chemical Processes --- Biological Factors --- Cell Membrane Structures --- Vesicular Transport Proteins --- Cell Physiological Phenomena --- Natural Science Disciplines --- Biochemical Phenomena --- Proteins --- Chemical Phenomena --- Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins --- Disciplines and Occupations --- Chemicals and Drugs --- Cytoplasmic Vesicles --- Cell Membrane --- Membrane Proteins --- Peptides --- Cellular Structures --- Organelles --- Cells --- Cytoplasmic Structures --- Anatomy --- Cytoplasm --- Intracellular Space --- Caveolin 1 --- Caveolae --- Metabolism --- Physiology --- Signal Transduction --- Neoplasms --- Tumor Markers, Biological --- Pathology --- Health & Biological Sciences --- Oncology --- Cancer --- Prevention. --- Treatment. --- Cancer therapy --- Cancer treatment --- Oncogenesis --- Pathogenesis of cancer --- Tumorigenesis --- Therapy --- Pathogenesis --- Medicine. --- Cancer research. --- Pharmacology. --- Biomedicine. --- Cancer Research. --- Pharmacology/Toxicology. --- Genetic toxicology --- Oncology. --- Toxicology. --- Chemicals --- Pharmacology --- Poisoning --- Poisons --- Tumors --- Toxicology --- Drug effects --- Medical pharmacology --- Medical sciences --- Chemotherapy --- Drugs --- Pharmacy --- Cancer research --- Physiological effect