Edited by Kenneth A. Jacobson and Michael F. Jarvis

The roles of extracellular purines and pyrimidines in cellular homeostasis and disease etiology have come to be understood gradually over the past 40 years. However, due to the recent cloning and expression of receptors for ATP and adenosine, novel compounds have been developed with unique therapeutic potential for the treatment of thrombosis, stroke, epilepsy, chronic pain, immunological disorders, and cancer. As a result, the study of adenosine- and ATP-mediated responses in cellular regulation is entering a phase of opportunity and development unmatched since the days of serotonin receptor research in the 1970s.

The only definitive book on the topic, Purinergic Approaches in Experimental Therapeutics covers all of the major therapeutic applications of purinergic receptors and reflects the very latest developments in this new area of therapeutic research. Twenty-eight chapters, authored by an international group of contributors who are the leading authorities in the field, provide details on molecular pharmacology; medicinal chemistry; and therapeutic implications, including cardiology, metabolism, immunology, neurology, and cancer.

Among the topics covered:
* Purinergic Neurotransmission and Neuromodulation: A Historical Perspective
* Adenosine Receptor Subtypes: New Insights from Cloning and Functional Studies
* Modulators of Adenosine Uptake, Release, and Inactivation
* Cardiac Electrophysiology of Adenosine: Antiarrhythmic and Proarrhythmic Actions
* Purinergic Modulation of Gastrointestinal Function
* The Role of Adenosine in Asthma
* ATP in Brain Function
* ATP in the Treatment of Cancer


For researchers in pharmacology, physiology, molecular biology, and medicinal chemistry, Purinergic Approaches in Experimental Therapeutics heralds an exciting new era in the understanding of purinergic neurotransmission and the development of novel therapeutic modalities.