Although cell fusion is an omnipresent process in life, to date considerably less is still known about the mechanisms and the molecules being involved in this biological phenomenon in higher organisms. In Cell Fusion in Health and Disease Volume 1 international leading experts will present up-to-date overviews about the current knowledge about cell fusion-mediating molecules in C. elegans and mammalian cells. Further topics of the book will focus on cell fusion in physiological processes including fertilization, placentation, skeletal muscle development, and tissue repair and will sum up the use of artificial cell fusion for cellular reprogramming and cancer vaccine development. Thus, Cell Fusion in Health and Disease Volume 1 represents a state-of-the-art work for researchers, physicians or professionals being interested in the biological phenomenon of cell fusion in physiological processes and beyond.

Preface, Thomas Dittmar, Kurt S. Zänker; 1 Introduction, Thomas Dittmar, Kurt S. Zänker; 2 Heterochronic control of AFF-1-mediated cell-to-cell fusion in C. Elegans, Lilach Friedlander-Shani, Benjamin Podbilewicz; 3 Role of SNAREs in membrane fusion, Bahnu P. Jena; 4 Molecular and cellular mechanisms of mammalian cell fusion, Xiaofeng Zhou, Jeffrey L. Platt; 5 Membrane fusions during mammalian fertilization, B.M. Gadella, Janice P. Evans; 6 Trophoblast fusion, Berthold Huppertz, Martin Gauster; 7 Macrophage fusion and multinucleated giant cells of inflammation, Amy K. McNally, James M. Anderson; 8 Molecular mechanisms of myoblast fusion across species, Adriana Simionescu, Grace K. Pavlath; 9 Cell-fusion-mediated reprogramming: Pluripotency of transdifferentiation? Implications for regenerative medicine, Daniela Sanges, Frederic Lluis, Maria Pia Cosma; 10 Cell fusion and tissue regeneration, Manuel Álvarez-Dolado, Magdalena Martínez-Losa; 11 Dendritic cell-tumour cell fusion vaccines, Walter T. Lee; Index