Publisher's Synopsis
The last volume on gastrointestinal secretion in the Handbook of Physiology was published in 1968. Since then, there have been enormous advances in understanding the cellular physiology of secretion. This volume reflects the increase in knowledge. It provides detailed coverage of the mechanisms of secretory control and cellular activation, the mechanisms of secretory product formation, and the cellular pathways for secretion. It also covers the broader, more integrative aspects of secretion. The chapters are grouped by traditional anatomical location, and emphasize recent progress in the physiology of salivary, gastric, pancreatic, and hepatobiliary secretions. They are written by expert authors who, in their essays on secretory function, have skillfully blended important technological advances with the excitement of research. While these highly detailed reviews are directed at particular systems, general principles underlying the mode and regulation of all secretory phenomena emerge from them.
