Springer Basic Epithelial Ion Transport Principles and Function: Ion Channels and Transporters of Epithelia in Health and Disease - Vol. 1 (Physiology in Health and Disease)

This book discusses unique ion channels and transporters that are located within epithelial tissues of various organs including the kidney, intestine, pancreas and respiratory tract. As the authors show, these channels and transporters play crucial roles in transepithelial ion and fluid transport across epithelia and their contribution to maintaining homeostasis. Readers will be introduced to the fundamentals of ion transport in terms of function, modelling, regulation, structure and pharmacology. This is the first of three volumes highlighting the importance of epithelial ion channels and transporters in basic physiology and pathophysiology of human diseases.  This volume focuses  on basic fundamentals of epithelial transport physiology. There is a range of chapters dedicated to specific aspects of epithelial ion transport and cell function. Accordingly, the authors discuss techniques used to determine epithelial function, principles of epithelia transport, polarization of epithelial cells, mathematical modelling of epithelial ion transport, protein folding of ion channels, degradation epithelial ion channels, fundamentals of epithelial sodium, potassium and chloride transport, fundamentals of bicarbonate secretion, volume regulation, and microRNA regulation of epithelial channels and transporters. Given its scope, Volume 1 offers a valuable resource for physiology students, scientists and clinicians alike.  From the Back Cover This book discusses unique ion channels and transporters that are located within epithelial tissues of various organs including the kidney, intestine, pancreas and respiratory tract. As the authors show, these channels and transporters play crucial roles in transepithelial ion and fluid transport across epithelia and their contribution to maintaining homeostasis. Readers will be introduced to the fundamentals of ion transport in terms of function, modelling, regulation, structure and pharmacology. This is the first of three volumes highlighting the importance of epithelial ion channels and transporters in basic physiology and pathophysiology of human diseases.  This volume focuses  on basic fundamentals of epithelial transport physiology. There is a range of chapters dedicated to specific aspects of epithelial ion transport and cell function. Accordingly, the authors discuss techniques used to determine epithelial function, principles of epithelia transport, polarization of epithelial cells, mathematical modelling of epithelial ion transport, protein folding of ion channels, degradation epithelial ion channels, fundamentals of epithelial sodium, potassium and chloride transport, fundamentals of bicarbonate secretion, volume regulation, and microRNA regulation of epithelial channels and transporters. Given its scope, Volume 1 offers a valuable resource for physiology students, scientists and clinicians alike.  About the Author Kirk L. Hamilton was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1953. He gained his undergraduate (biology/chemistry) and M.Sc. (ecology) degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington. He obtained his Ph.D. at Utah State University under the tutelage of Dr. James A. Gessaman, where he studied incubation physiology of Barn owls. His first post-doctoral position was at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas under the mentorship of Dr. Douglas C. Eaton where he studied epithelial ion transport, specifically, the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC).  He then moved to the Department of Physiology at the University of Alabama, Birmingham for additional post-doctoral training under the supervision of the late Dr. Dale J. Benos where he further studied ENaC, and non-specific cation channels. He took his first academic post in the Department of Biology at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans (1990-1994). He then joined the Department of Physiology at the University of Otago in 1994, and he is curre