Cardiac Metabolism [antikvár]

Preface The idea of a book on Cardiac Metabolism which represented current ideas and theories based on recent experimental evidence was an appealing, if somewhat daunting, task. The concept of Cardiac Metabolism covers a vast area, every aspect of which is important in its own right. There has been such an advance in techniques and thinking over the last few years that it is not possible for any one person (or laboratory) to be able to cope with research into all the aspects of cardiac metabolism. We have, therefore, produced a multi-author book. This has the advantage of bringing a spectrum of approaches and opinions together. Where overlap of subject matter has occurred, we have retained the material where different chapter authors have different opinions. We have tried to introduce some newer personalities in the field whose views deserve consideration. Many of the ideas presented are unconventional, and are intended to stimulate thought and argument. It has been necessary to make many omissions of important subjects in cardiac metabolism. We have concentrated on various aspects of calcium metabolism and energy utilization, but also included some relatively neglected subjects and interesting methodological approaches (NMR and histochemistry). We failed to persuade anyone to write about membrane protein phosphorylation. This would have made a real gap in view of the inclusion of other chapters on cyclic AMP, contractile protein phosphorylation and catecholamines. We have therefore written such a chapter based on our literature reading and thank Drs. Tsien and England for their help with this. The presentation of the book is to offer to the reader many aspects of cardiac metabolism, beginning with the handling of calcium ions, through biochemical reactions, to the metabolic factors concerning blood flow and performance. The heart is not an isolated organ: it is surrounded by a changing environment. Each chapter may be read on its own as a source of information relevant to the particular subject of interest, though the reader will find himself gently directed to other chapters that we feel should be considered as well. It is hoped that each reader, be they teacher or research worker of any discipline, will find interesting and provoking reading, in or related to their own subject. ix