Cell signaling is at the core of most biological processes from the simplest to the most complex. In addition to unicellular organisms possessing the essential ability to receive inputs with regard to nutrient availability and noxious stimuli, the cells in multicellular organisms require signaling from adjacent, as well as distant cells to maintain normal internal function, including growth, differentiation, and homeostasis. Conversely, the etiology of many disease processes, such as those involving immune system dysfunction and tumor development, have been traced to aberrant cell signaling....

Molecular nutrition (the study of interactions between nutrients and various intracellular and extracellular molecules) is one of the most rapidly developing fields in nutritional science. Ultimately, molecular nutrition research will reveal how nutrients may affect fundamental processes such as DNA repair, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. This book is the only single complete volume available reviewing the field of molecular nutrition. It contains contributions from leading international experts, and reviews the most important and latest research from various areas of molecular...