Introduction to Molecular Medicine [antikvár]

Preface M olecular medicine, the newest and most advanced branch of medical science, began some 2,400 years ago, when Democritus proposed that the living organism is composed of arrangements of atoms that are continuously lost and faithfully replaced. Democritus, the father of the atomic theory, was to become a patient of Hippocrates, the father of western medical practice, who proposed that physicians assist nature in achieving a cure. These two ideas are the central concepts of molecular medicine today. Although the goal of gaining a physical view of biologic systems at the level of their simplest constituents is more than 2,000 years old, only during the lifetimes—or, in many cases, the professional careers—of those now engaged in clinical and laboratory pursuits have we attained the ability to define the ultimate biologic structures with stunning precision. We are in the midst of revolutionary changes in basic science that will allow us to identify and to correct or circumvent molecular defects that give rise to some of the most prevalent afflictions of humanity, including many forms of atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, neoplasia, autoimmune diseases, and disorders of mendelian inheritance. Henceforth, clinicians will increasingly employ diagnostic methods and therapeutic interventions made possible by the manipulation of the genes of microorganisms, plants, animals, and humans. In short, we have entered the era of molecular medicine. Recent and current developments in this field are bestowing on physicians unprecedented powers to improve health, increase longevity, and ease suffering. Accordingly, clinicians are rapidly becoming aware of the need to master the principles of this field and to incorporate them into their daily work. This is not an easy task. New information about the fundamental bases of many diseases and about therapeutic interventions at the molecular level is being generated at a blinding rate that threatens to overtake our ability to remain current. What is more, new concepts and technologies have led to the creation of an ever-growing stock of new words and expressions. Thus,