Clinical Aspects Of Albumin

Albumin is the most abundant serum protein produced by the liver. In clinical practice the serum level of albumin continues to be used as an important marker of the presence, progress or ofthe improvement of many diseases, even though it is the complex end result of synthesis, degradation a. nd distribution between intra- and extravascular space. The clinical history of albumin began as early as in 1837, when Ancell first recognized "albumen" and noted that this protein is needed for trans port functions, for maintaining fluidity of the vascular system and for the prevention of edema. However, the important physiological properties of serum proteins and their role in the regulation ofthe oncotic pressure were demonstrated later by the physiologist E. H. Starling in 1895. In 1917 the clinician A. A. Epstein first described the edema in patients with the nephro tic syndrome as being a result of a very low level of serum albumin. Al though the determination of serum albumin concentration became more popular after Howe in 1921 introduced the technique of separation of serum globulins from albumin by sodium sulfate, the first preparations of human serum albumin were made available for clinical use in only 1941 by the development of plasma fractionation by Cohn and his coworkers at Harvard Medical School.

The first of its kind, All About Albumin summarizes the chemistry, genetics, metabolism, clinical implications, and commercial aspects of albumin. It provides the most up-to-date sequences, structures, and compositions of many species, and includes more than 2000 references. Includes up-to-date sequences, structures, and compositions of many species Reviews the protein chemistry, genetic control, and metabolism of albumin Covers medical and cell culture applications in vivo and in vitro, with a section on handling albumin in the laboratory Presents the relationship of albumin to its superfamily with an updated scheme for their evolution First complete coverage of all aspects of serum albumin in one volume, with more than 2000 references

This book presents a comprehensive overview of medical and pharmaceutical applications of human serum albumin (HSA), with updates on structural aspects of albumin from the perspectives of X-ray crystallography and NMR, endogenous and exogenous ligand binding of albumin in various pathological conditions, and genetic variants and their phenotypes. Rapid progress and development of its applications have resulted in outstanding results for which albumin has clearly been proven to be a robust biomaterial. Contributions from leading international experts in this field show how HSA is applied to diagnosis, therapy, drugs, and treatment, with a comprehensive introduction of HSA. This volume will appeal to scientists in pharmaceutical and medical research including pharmaceutical chemists, pharmacokineticists, toxicologists, and biochemists not only in academia but also in industry. Readers can effectively acquire the most recent knowledge of applications of HSA and its impact on human health in a single volume.

Albumin Structure, Function and Uses reviews the many facets of serum albumin, including its history and evolutionary development, structure and function, synthesis, degradation, distribution and transport, and metabolic behavior. The use, misuse, and abuse of albumin in the treatment of disease are also discussed. This book is comprised of 17 chapters and begins with a commentary on how albumin is used, misused, and abused in the treatment of disease such as peptic ulcer, and a description of the real indications for its use. Concepts in albumin purification are then examined, along with the amino acid sequence of serum albumin and some aspects of its structure and conformational properties. Subsequent chapters explore the phylogenetics of albumin; albumin binding sites; clinical implications of drug-albumin interaction; genetics of human serum albumin; and hepatic synthesis of export proteins. Albumin catabolism and intracellular transport are also considered, together with surgical and clinical aspects of albumin metabolism. This monograph should be a useful resource for biochemists and clinicians.

It was the year of 1969 when this monograph was originally published in Japanese by Professor TADASHI KAWAI, titled as "The Plasma Proteins, Their Fundamental and Clinical Aspects." After I read through the Japanese edition, I was impressed by its rather complete coverage of the subjects and their detailed descriptions. I have felt that this excellent monograph should be distributed not only among our Japanese scien tists but also among many other colleagues throughout the world. I am happy, the refore, to know that the English edition of his monograph, partly revised, is ready to be published at this time. Professor KAWAI received his postgraduate medical training in U.S.A. for seven years, and was certified by the American Board of Pathology in both Anatomical and Clinical Pathology in Fall, 1962. Thus, I believe, he is the most suitable fellow for publishing the English edition of this kind.

It is only during the last decade that the functions of sinusoidal endothelial cells, Kupffer cells, hepatic stellate cells, pit cells and other intrahepatic lymphocytes have been better understood. The development of methods for isolation and co-culturing various types of liver cells has established that they communicate and cooperate via secretion of various intercellular mediators. This monograph summarizes multiple data that suggest the important role of cellular cross-talk for the functions of both normal and diseased liver. Special features of the book include concise presentation of the majority of detailed data in 19 tables. Original schemes allow for the clear illustration of complicated intercellular relationships. This is the first ever presentation of the newly emerging field of liver biology, which is important for hepatic function in health and disease and opens new avenues for therapeutic interventions.

A guide to the techniques and analysis of clinical data. Each of the seventeen sections begins with a drawing and biographical sketch of a seminal contributor to the discipline. After an introduction and historical survey of clinical methods, the next fifteen sections are organized by body system. Each contains clinical data items from the history, physical examination, and laboratory investigations that are generally included in a comprehensive patient evaluation. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR