Rapid advances in molecular medicine have led to pronounced new developments in experimental and clinical cardiology. In the embrace of modern molecular biology and bridging the gap between the clinical and the genomic, cardiovascular medicine has seen major strides in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that drive disease progression. The ability to rapidly identify candidate human genes for cardiovascular diseases lends itself to the development of diverse strategies for disease treatment and management. The wide variety of gene expressions proffers excellent targets for novel therapeutics. Gene therapy is steadily increasing in viability and represents a fascinating arena of research and clinical focus. This book is based on two international Mendel symposia on “Genes and the Heart,” joint meetings of the Japanese and European sections of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences. Highlighting selected symposia contributions, this book explores the role of molecular biology and genetics in the basic knowledge, genesis, and clinical interventions of cardiovascular diseases. Front Matter....Pages i-xv Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Johann Gregor Mendel: “Father of Modern Genetics”....Pages 3-5 Gene Therapy: Hopes and Problems....Pages 7-17 Front Matter....Pages 19-19 VEGFS, FGFS, and PDGF Coordinate Embryonic Coronary Vascularization....Pages 21-28 The E2F Pathway in Cardiac Development and Disease....Pages 29-41 Cardiac Sodium–Calcium Exchanger Expression....Pages 43-56 Scleraxis: A New Regulator of Extracellular Matrix Formation....Pages 57-65 Gender Impact on Pathophysiology of the Heart....Pages 67-76 Front Matter....Pages 77-77 Mitochondrial DNA and Heart Disease....Pages 79-84 A Novel Algorithm from Personal Genome to the Pathogenic Mutant Causing Mitochondrial Cardiomyopathy....Pages 85-92 MELAS Syndrome: Mediated by Impaired Taurinomethyluridine Synthesis....Pages 93-100 Front Matter....Pages 101-101 Genetics of Myocardial Infarction....Pages 103-111 Genetic Background of Myocardial Infarction....Pages 113-120 Angiotensin Converting Enzyme I/D Polymorphism and Cardiovascular Risk: Disclosed Story....Pages 121-134 PPARs and Myocardial Response to Ischemia in Normal and Diseased Heart....Pages 135-148 Genes and Plasma Lipids in Czech Slavic Population....Pages 149-157 Front Matter....Pages 159-159 Genetic Basis of Salt-Sensitive Hypertension in Humans....Pages 161-175 Gene–Environment Interactions: Their Role in Hypertension Development....Pages 177-184 Phenotypic Overlap of Lethal Arrhythmias Associated with Cardiac Sodium Mutations: Individual-Specific or Mutation-Specific?....Pages 185-196 Front Matter....Pages 197-197 CLP-1-Mediated Transcriptional Control of Hypertrophic Gene Programs Underlying Cardiac Hypertrophy....Pages 199-211 Molecular Mechanisms of Subcellular Remodeling in Congestive Heart Failure....Pages 213-223 Front Matter....Pages 197-197 Cardiomyopathy, Sarcomeropathy, and Z-diskopathy....Pages 225-234 Left Ventricular Assist Device: Morphological, Molecular, and Genetic Changes After Mechanical Support....Pages 235-240 Vascular Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome: A Good Experimental Model Is Needed for Development of Treatment Strategies....Pages 241-251 Multi-scale, Multi-physics Heart Simulator as a Tool to Link Bench and Bedside....Pages 253-260 Back Matter....Pages 261-263
