Na+/H+ Exchange [antikvár]

PREFACE Na+/H+ exchange was first discovered in 1976. The field lay dormant until the early 1980s, when an explosion in interest and knowledge occurred. Since then, the number of publications dealing directly or indirectly with Na+/H+ exchange has increased exponentially. The reasons behind this interest are not only the ubiquity of the exchanger, but the realization that, unlike other transport systems, it is involved in a variety of cellular functions. Na'^/H'^ exchange seems to be central to pH regulation, to transepithelial salt transport in "leaky" epithelia, and to the control of cellular volume. Activation of Na'^/H^ exchange has also been proposed as a signal for cellular proliferation and differentiation. In addition, the activity of the exchanger appears to be modulated by a bewildering array of biological agents, including hormones, growth factors, tumor-promoting agents, and chemotactic factors. What determines the primary function of the exchanger in a particular cell type is largely unknown, but strict controls and/or interactions with other transport systems, such as the Cl"/HCOi" exchanger, must exist. To this date, some individual aspects of the function of the Na+/H ^ exchanger (or antiport) have been reviewed, but a comprehensive, up-to-date treatise of its structure, function, and regulation was not available. It is the purpose of this volume to provide a succinct summary of our present knowledge of the physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology of Na'^/H'^ exchange. Sergio Grinstein May, 1987