It is now clear that neuropeptide Y (NPY), the most abundant peptide present in the mammalian nervous system, is implicated in the pathophysiology of many diseases, including eating disorders, seizures, memory loss, anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular diseases, and offers major therapeutic opportunities for their treatment. In Neuropeptide Y Protocols, a strong cohort of established investigators from a variety of disciplines detail their best techniques for advancing NPY research. Among the many readily reproducible methods described are those for cloning, for the production of transgenic and knockout models, and for the use of antisense technology to define the receptors and the signal transduction pathways mediating NPY actions. A range of the major qualitative and quantitative techniques used to study tissue mRNA distribution are also included, as well as methods for radioligand binding. The cloning techniques utilize genomic DNA isolation, expression cloning, PCR cloning, the construction of hybrid receptors, and homology-based cloning.
Highly practical and state-of-the-art, Neuropeptide Y Protocols constitutes a gold-standard collection of proven techniques for advancing today's understanding of this significant neuropeptide, as well as for developing the promising NPY-based therapeutics now emerging for many important disorders.