A Textbook of Molecular Cell Motility and Shapes

Cell motility is a fundamentally important and fascinating example of cell behaviour underlying the phenomena of wound healing, morphogenesis and cancer genesis. Most cells in the body are stationary, but many of these exhibit dramatic changes in their morphology-the contraction of muscle cells, the elongation of nerve axons, the formation of cell-surface protrusions, the constriction of a dividing cell during mitosis. Incredible versatility of carbon accounts for the multitude of different molecules, built from the common backbones, which are found in different kinds of organisms. In chemistry molecules with a backbone of carbon that also contain hydrogen are called organic molecules. Most cancers are not life threatening until they metastasize and spread through the body. Cytoskeleton provides structural support and drives movement of the cell and of macromolecules with the cell. The book focuses on the functioning of the systems which are involved in cell motility and the determination of cell shape. It provides a detailed description of the actin cytoskeleton and its role in determining cell shape. It covers the biochemistry of actin assembly and cellular mechanisms for controlling this process. It examines the structure of myosin, the actin motor protein, and how it transducers the energy of ATP into a sliding movement along actin filaments, It also covers the regulation of movement by cell signalling pathways. This book contains:  - Structure and Function of the Cell - Biological Molecules - Cell Movements - Motile Machinery and Cytoskeleton - Actin Dynamics and Cell Migration - mRNA Localization and Cell Motility - Nucleation and Growth of Cell - Cell Adhesion - Cells and Development - Virus Structure - Mechanics of Cell Crawling  This book will be highly beneficial to students, teachers and researchers in the fields of cell biology, biochemistry and medical science.