The articles comprising this volume were first presented at the World Congress on Neurohypophysial Hormones held in Bordeaux, France on September 8-12, 2001. This conference brought together more than 170 scientists from 18 countries who belong to the different fields of interest representing research in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system.

List of contributors. Preface. 1. The magnocellular neuronal phenotype: cell-specific gene expression in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system (H. Gainer et al.). 2. Estrogen modulates oxytocin gene expression in regions of the rat supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei that contain estrogen receptor-&bgr; (P.J. Shughrue, T.L. Dellovade, I. Merchenthaler). 3. Short term modulation of GABA-receptor in the adult female rat(A.B. Brussaard, J.J. Koksma). 4. Cholesterol and steroid hormones: modulators of oxytocin receptor function(G. Gimpl et al.). 5. Central vasopressin systems and steroid hormones (A. Kalsbeek, I.F. Palm, R.M. Buijs). 6. Regulation of renal salt and water transporters during vasopressin escape (C.A. Ecelbarger et al.). 7. Stretch-inactivated cation channels: cellular targets for modulation of osmosensitivity in supraoptic neurons (C.W. Bourque, D.L. Voisin, Y. Chakfe). 8. Glial cells in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system: key elements of the regulation of neuronal electrical and secretory activity (N. Hussy). 9. Functional synaptic plasticity in hypothalamic magnocellular neurons (J.G. Tasker, S. Di, C. Boudaba). 10. Post synaptic GABA receptors in supraoptic oxytocin and vasopressin neurons (J.E. Stern, Y. Li, D.S. Richards). 11. Neurohypophyseal hormones in the integration of physiological responses to immune challenges(K.J. Kovács). 12. Involvement of the brain oxytocin system in stress coping: interactions with the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (I.D. Neumann). 13. Expression of human vasopressin and oxytocin receptors in Escherichia coli(B. Mouillac et al.). 14. Molecular pharmacology and modeling of vasopressin receptors (M. Thibonnier et al.). 15. Nonpeptide vasopressin receptor antagonists: development of selective and orally-active V, V and V receptor ligands (C. Serradeil-Le Gal et al.). 16. Rat vasopressin mRNA: a model system to characterize cis-acting elements and trans-acting factors involved in dendritic mRNA sorting (E. Mohr et al.). 17. Dendritic action potentials in magnocellular neurons (J.S. Bains). 18. Modulation of synaptic transmission by oxytocin and vasopressin in the supraoptic nucleus (S.B. Kombian et al.). 19. The active role of dendrites in the regulation of magnocellular neurosecretory cell behavior (M. Ludwig et al.). 20. Cardiovascular regulation of supraoptic vasopressin neurons (J.T. Cunningham et al.). 21. The central vasopressinergic system in experimental left ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction (F. Muders et al.). 22. Cardiovascular effects of oxytocin (M. Petersson). 23. Treatment of the diabetic patient: focus on cardiovascular and renal risk reduction (K.C. Abbott, G.L.K. Bakris). 24. Oxytocin in parturition of guinea pigs, humans and other species(J.-C. Schellenberg). 25. Oxytocin, vasopressin and atrial natriuretic peptide control body fluid homeostasis by action on their receptors in brain, cardiovascular system and kidney(S.M. McCann et al.). 26. Positive and negative regulators of the vasopressin gene promoter in small cell lung cancer (J.M. Coulson). 27. The vasopressin receptor of corticotroph pituitary cells (P. René, Y. De Keyzer). 28. Involvement of oxytocin and vasopressin in the pathophysiology of preterm labor and primary dysmenorrhea (M. Åkerlund). Subject Index.