Given the vital importance of oxygen to the survival of most life forms, the provision of sufficient O2 to the tissues and the protection of cells against damage due to O2 deficiency are fundamental physiological challenges. This book provides a detailed overview of how and why such damage occurs, exploring the mechanisms whereby oxygen interacts with living cells, but particularly focusing upon the biochemical and physiological adaptations of hypoxia and their biological and medical relevance. It includes information about the cellular and molecular mechanisms of oxygen-sensing from bacteria to eukaryotic animal cells, focusing on the regulatory role of oxygen on ion channels and gene expression in various organs and tissues.

This book should be of interest to cellular and molecular biologists, pulmonary specialists, physiologists, biophysicists, as well as any professional conducting research in this field.