Insulin, Insulin-like Growth Factors, and Their Receptors in the Central Nervous System

Traditionally, intercellular communication and the regulation of biological functions of the body have been considered the role of two major and distinct systems: the nervous system and the endocrine system. The classic nervous system transmitted its signal rapidly by using electrical currents, whereas the signals used by the endocrine system were hormones produced by endocrine glands which reached the target tissues via the blood stream. During the past few decades, it has become apparent that these systems of intercellular com­ munication are not distinct and the signal messenger molecules are not unique to one or the other system. Many classic endocrine hormones are found in and act on nervous tissues and evidence exists for their de novo synthesis by neural­ related tissues. An exciting development in this area is the possibility that insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGF) are not only produced by neural tissues but also exert profound physiological and biochemical effects on these tissues. The area of investigation of CNS insulin and IGF has been expanding rapidly and the availability of this book complete with up-to-date reviews on the subject by leaders in the field allows other scientists to utilize the knowledge in planning and adapting the latest ideas for future experiments. In addition, the book provides a collection of up-to-date articles for teachers to be used for the latest instructional material. The first section of the book covers general aspects of insulin receptors and insulin action.

Section I: Insulin Receptors: Structure and Function.- Internalization of Insulin and Its Receptor: Role in Signaling.- Insulin-activated Phosphorylation on Tyrosine of a 15 Kilodalton Cytosolic Protein in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.- Role of Protein Phosphorylation in Growth Factor Signal Transduction..- The Processing and Transport of Peptide Hormones across Endothelial Cell Barriers.- The Role of Phospholipid Metabolism in Insulin Action.- Glucose Transporters: Overview and Implications for the Brain.- Alteration of Insulin Receptor Binding and Protein Kinase Activity in Rat Liver and Placenta by ?-Naphthoflavone.- Section II: Insulin and Insulin Receptors in the Central Nervous System.- Evolution of Insulin and Insulin Receptors.- Evidence for Central Nervous System Insulin Synthesis.- Localization of Insulin to Neuronal Cells.- Synthesis of Insulin or a Similar Peptide in the Pituitary Gland and in Retinal Muller Cells.- Insulin in the Central Nervous System: A Regulator of Appetite and Body Weight.- Insulin in the Brain: A Feedback Loop Involving Brain Insulin and Circumventricular Organs.- Structural Evidence for a Subtype of Insulin Receptor in the Central Nervous System.- Physiologically Unique Insulin Receptors on Neuronal Cells.- Insulin Receptors in Brain Development.- Insulin Downregulates Alpha-2-adrenergic Receptors in Cultured Glial Cells.- Section III: Insulin-Like Growth Factor and Insulin-Like Growth Factor Receptors in the Central Nervous System.- Somatomedins (Insulin-like Growth Factors) and the Nervous System.- Insulin-like Growth Factor Receptors in the Brain.- Receptors for Insulin and Insulin related Peptides in the CNS: Studies of Localization in Rat Brain.- Visualization of IGF-2 Receptors in Rat Brain.- Insulin-like Growth Factors and TheirReceptors in the Pituitary and Hypothalamus.- Two Types of Receptors for Insulin-like Growth Factors Are Expressed on Normal and Malignant Cells from Mammalian Brain.- Role of Insulin, Insulin-like Growth Factors and Nerve Growth Factor in Neurite Formation.- Contributors.- Author Index.