This book provides the current knowledge and recent developments to navigate cellular, molecular, and clinical aspects of natriuretic peptides and their receptors in health and disease. State-of-the-art technology in cell and molecular biology has been applied to delineate the expression, function, and regulation of natriuretic peptides and their receptors both in vitro and in vivo model systems. Transgenic and gene-targeted mouse models have clearly demonstrated that the absence of functional natriuretic peptides and/or their cognate receptors cannot only raise blood pressure but also cause severe hypertensive heart, similar to what is seen in untreated human hypertensive patients. The genetically engineered mouse models have been useful to reveal not only the actual functions of the genes for natriuretic peptides and their receptors, but more critically their modifying interactions with other genes. This book presents a comprehensive look at the past developments, current status, and future prospects of the natriuretic peptides and their receptor systems in bedside diagnosis, treatments, and therapeutic advancements. The book comprises of fourteen chapters from eminent scientists in their area of research expertise, and presents a wide range of reviews spanning the research works done on the natriuretic peptides and their receptors. Each chapter provides a comprehensive summary covering the aspects of physiology, molecular biology, and clinical implication of the accomplished experimental findings and future perspectives of research to be performed in this vital and important cardiovascular field. It is expected that this book will provide readers a focused overview of the status and perspectives of the natriuretic peptides and their receptors from the past accomplishments to exciting future investigations.
