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Informationen zum Autor One Pagan is Professor of Biology at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Klappentext The story of planarians, and their use as an animal model for many types of research in neuropharmacology. The book shows how research involving planarians has led to developments in biomedicine, neurobiology, and how planarians have been involved in popular biological and cultural topics. Zusammenfassung The story of planarians, and their use as an animal model for many types of research in neuropharmacology. The book shows how research involving planarians has led to developments in biomedicine, neurobiology, and how planarians have been involved in popular biological and cultural topics. TABLE OF CONTENTS ; INTRODUCTION ; PART I - FUNDAMENTALS ; Chapter 1. Science ; Science does not exist ; Reductionism, its advantages and limits ; On theories and Theories ; Evolution and Life ; Chapter 2. Biomedical Research ; Biochemistry and cell biology lite ; How we classify life ; Animal models and biomedical research ; Basic or fundamental research? ; PART II - THE SCIENCE OF THE BRAIN ; Chapter 3. An introduction to neuroscience ; Neuroscience or neurobiology? ; Neurons ; The Spaniard and the Italian ; Excitable cells and electrophysiology ; Synapses and chemical neurotransmission ; Is a nervous system absolutely necessary for survival? ; Plant Neurobiology ; Chapter 4. The human brain ; What exactly is a brain? ; The human brain and nervous system ; A brief history of what people thought of their brains ; The complexity of the human brain / On really BIG numbers ; Chapter 5. Some brief thoughts on pharmacology ; What is pharmacology? ; Psychopharmacology, plant style ; Animal models in pharmacology ; PART III - PLANARIANS ; Chapter 6. Planarians ; What is a flatworm? ; Flatworm evolution and fossil records ; What is a planarian? ; Early works on planarians (1700-1800s) ; Planariologists: Three " connections ; Chapter 7. Planarians in modern biology ; Genetics ; First they liked planarians then they didn't ; Sages of regeneration ; Of planarians and genomes ; Chapter 8. Planarians in the popular culture: The arts, science fiction, fantasy and humor ; Planarians in the popular culture ; Planaria: Poem by Dr. Lance Larsen ; Planarian man ; Planaria and the new Battlestar Galactica ; Fringe ; Twilight ; The Big Bang Theory ; Dr. Who ; Planarian humor ; PART IV - THE FIRST BRAIN ; Chapter 9. The first brain ; Early, really early nervous systems ; The first hunters ; The first brain ; Why are planarians an excellent animal model in neuroscience? ; Very brief comments on protopsychology ; Chapter 10. From corals and plants to planarians and rats ; Planarians in pharmacology: nicotine and cocaine ; The beginnings of systematic planarian pharmacology research ; The Temple University team ; The joy of discovery ; From corals and plants to planarians and rats ; Planarian research translated to vertebrates: What does it mean, and what it doesn't ; What can the planarian brain teach us about our own? ; EPILOGUE ; REFERENCES - BOOKS ; REFERENCES - ARTICLES ...
