Complex physiopathological relationships have been proven to exist between two of the body's most vital organs; the brain and the heart. In Cell Cycle Regulation and Differentiation in Cardiovascular and Neural Systems Antonio Giordano, Umberto Galderisi and a panel of the most respected authorities in their field offer an in-depth analysis of the differentiation process in two systems that have profound relationships with one another. The text looks at several aspects of the cardiovascular and nervous systems from a new point of view, describing the differences and similarities in their differentiation pathways with an emphasis on the role of cell cycle regulation and cell differentiation. Topics discussed include neurogenesis in the central nervous system, neural stem cells, and the basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factors in neural differentiation. Ground-breaking and authoritative, Cell Cycle Regulation and Differentiation in Cardiovascular and Neural Systems is a must have for all researchers in cardiovascular medicine and neuroscience and will prompt the scientific community to perceive cell cycle regulation and differentiation under a novel and more comprehensive light.

Section I: Introduction to cell cycle and differentiation Chapter 1: The cell cycle Antonio Giordano, MD, Umberto Galderisi, PhD Chapter 2: Transcription factors and muscle differentiation Ryoichiro Kageyama, PhD Chapter 3: The basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factors in neural differentiation Gerard Cabello, PhD Section II: Stem cells Chapter 4: The Neural Stem Cells Gianvito Martino, MD and Stefano Plachino Chapter 5: Cardiac Stem and Progenitor Cells Ronglih Liao PhD Chapter 6: Muscle Stem Cells Michael A. Rudnicki PhD Chapter 7: Marrow Stromal Mesechymal Stem Cells Bruce A. Bunnell PhD Section III: Cell cycle and differentiation in the nervous system Chapter 8: Neurogenesis in the Central Nervous System: Cell cycle progression / exit and differentiation of neuronal progenitors Rebecca Matsas and Dimitria Thomaidou PhD Section IV: Cell cycle and differentiation in the cardiovascular system Chapter 9: Cell cycle and differentiation in the cardiovascular system W. R. Mac Lellan, PhD Chapter 10 : Cell cycle and differentiation in vessels Amalia Forte PhD, Marilena Cipollaro MD and Antonino Cascino PhD Section V: Cell cycle and differentiation in the muscle Chapter 11: Cell cycle regulation in myogenesis Cristina Giacinti, MD and Antonio Giordano, MD