Plasma membrane redox systems

Plasma membrane redox systems This special issue of Protoplasma is dedicated to the area of plasma membrane redox systems. These ubiquitous systems play a role in a number of essential phenomena such as host–pathogen interactions, redox homeostasis and antioxidant responses, nutrient uptake and detoxification, cell signalling, and growth. A community of physiologists, biochemists, and cell biologists, sharing an interest in redox reactions occurring at the plasma membranes of both animal and plant cells, as well as microorganisms, recently met in Ravenna, Italy, on the occasion of the 6th International Conference on Plasma Membrane Redox Systems and Their Role in Biological Stress and Disease (March 23–26, 2002). The papers collected in this issue have been presented at that conference and refereed. The reader will appreciate that plasma membrane redox systems are one of those items of cell and molecular biology where communication across the border between plant and animal biologists is lively and, beyond measure, necessary. The next plasma membrane redox meeting will be held in Asilomar, California, in 2004. On behalf of the organizing committee of the 2002 plasma membrane redox meeting and as the co-editor of this issue, I thank for the enthusiastic support this initiative received from Protoplasma’s editor FriedrichWilhelm Bentrup and for the qualified contribution of all reviewers. Paolo Trost