Purification of Components of the Calpain System -- Purification of µ- and m-Calpain and Calpastatin from Animal Tissues -- A Simple Protocol for Separation and Assay of µ-Calpain, m-Calpain and Calpastatin from Small Tissue Samples -- Purification and Quantification of Calcium-Activated Neutral Proteases I and II and Novel Isoforms from Cultured Osteoblastic Cells by Ion-Exchange Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography -- Purification of Calpain by Affinity Chromatography on Reactive Red-Agarose or on Casein-Sepharose -- Affinity Purification of ?-Calpain from Erythrocytes on an Immobilized Peptide from the Plasma Membrane Calcium Pump -- Expression of m-Calpain in Escherichia coli -- Purification and Characterization of Crustacean Calpain-like Proteinases -- Drosophila Cal pains -- Molecular Analysis of p94 and Its Application to Diagnosis of Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 2A -- Purification of Recombinant Calpastatin Expressed in Escherichia coli -- Preparation of Calpastatin Samples for Western Blotting -- Isolation and Characterization of Calpain Activator Protein from Bovine Brain -- Assays of Calpain -- Calpain Zymography with Casein or Fluorescein Isothiocyanate Casein -- Casein Zymogram Assessment of ?-Calpain and m-Calpain Activity After Traumatic Brain Injury in the Rat In Vivo -- Fluorescence Measurements of Ca2+ Binding to Domain VI of Calpain -- Kinetic Analysis of Human ?-Calpain Autolysis -- A Sensitive and Continuous Fluorometric Activity Assay Using a Natural Substrate -- Measurement of Calpain Activity In Vitro and In Situ Using a Fluorescent Compound andTau as Substrates -- Localization of Calpain by Immunofluorescence in Adherent Cells -- A Radioimmunologic Technique for Assessing Calpain Activation in Cells -- Specific Tissues -- Calpains and Myogenesis -- Calpastatin (the Endogenous Calpain Inhibitor) and Membrane Protein Degradation in Cell Fusion -- The Role of Calpain in Neurofilament Protein Degradation Associated With Spinal Cord Injury -- Calpain-Mediated Truncation of Glutamate Ionotropic Receptors -- Concurrent Assessment of Calpain and Caspase-3 Activity by Means of Western Blots of Protease-Specific Spectrin Breakdown Products -- Rat Renal Proximal Tubules, Hypoxia, lonomycin, and Calpain -- Calpain Activity in Rat Renal Proximal Tubules -- Calpain Activity in Rat Renal Proximal Tubules -- Cellular In Vivo Assay of Calpain Activity Using a Fluorescent Substrate -- Calpain Methods in Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury -- Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury and Proteolysis of Fodrin, Ankyrin, and Calpastatin -- Calpains in the Lens and Cataractogenesis -- Specific Substrates -- Proteolysis of Cortactin by Calpain in Platelets and In Vitro -- Proteolysis of p53 Protein by Ubiquitous Calpains -- Modulation of Calpain-Mediated Protein Kinase C Activation Within Intact Cells -- Strategies for Regulating Calpain Activities in Living Cells -- Assays of Apoptosis.

In Calpain Methods and Protocols, John S. Elce and a seasoned team of principal investigators present a set of proven and easily followed protocols for studying calpain. The methods include in vitro techniques for the detection, expression, purification, and assay of µ- and m-calpain, supplemented with a wide range of system and tissue models for studying both the physiological functions and the effects of inhibitors on calpain. The systems used include neural tissue, kidney, liver, the eye, and membrane fusion in muscle and erythrocytes, each in connection with hypoxia or other injury. Among the analytical techniques employed are casein zymography, immunofluorescence, and calpain activity assays. The authors also examine specific substrates that have been proposed for the calpains. Highly practical and readily repeatable, Calpain Methods and Protocols offers investigators involved in basic and clinically oriented calpain research a gold-standard collection of powerful experimental tools for discovering the nature and function of calpains.