Receptor-Based Discovery Strategies for Insecticides and Parasiticides: A Review -- Nonpeptide Ligands for Peptidergic G Protein-Coupled Receptors -- Interaction of Mimetic Analogs of Insect Kinin Neuropeptides with Arthropod Receptors -- Neuropeptides in Helminths: Occurrence and Distribution -- Neuropeptide Physiology in Helminths -- Neuropeptide Gene Families in Caenorhabditis elegans -- Control of Nematode Parasites with Agents Acting on Neuro-Musculature Systems: Lessons for Neuropeptide Ligand Discovery -- Neuropeptide Signaling in Insects -- Neuropeptide Physiology in Insects -- Neuropeptide Biology in Drosophila -- Neuropeptide Receptors as Possible Targets for Development of Insect Pest Control Agents.

This book was assembled to focus attention on this promising field by compiling a comprehensive review of recent research on neuropeptides in arthropods and helminths, with contributions from many of the leading laboratories working on these systems. The organization of the chapters is intended to provide an overview of the organism-level biology of neuropeptidergic function in insects and helminths, progressing to an understanding of the molecular biology of the genes that encode their precursors and receptors in these organisms. We include for perspective consideration of the state of the art in discovery of insecticides and anthelmintics, a review of drugs that affect similar systems in nematodes, and a summary of drug discovery efforts that target mammalian neuropeptide receptors for therapy of non-infectious diseases in humans.