chapter 1 Introduction -- chapter 2 Basal signal transduction systems involved in stress response -- chapter 3 The stress-protein system -- chapter 4 The oxidative stress response system -- chapter 5 The metallothionein system -- chapter 6 The mixed-function oxygenase system -- chapter 7 The role of cellular response systems in developing tolerance to environmental stress -- chapter 8 The effects of environmental stress on aging and cell death -- chapter 9 The integrated cellular stress defense system -- chapter 10 Summary.