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Biology of spermatogenesis and spermatozoa in mammals
Camp. Biochem. Physiol. Vol. 89A, No. 4, pp. 709-710,
1988
Printed in Great Britain
0
0300-9629/88 $3.00 + 0.00 1988 Pergamon Press plc
BOOK REVIEWS Tbe Biological Chemistry of Marine Copepods-Edited by E. D. S. CORNER and S. C. M. O’HARA. 349 pp. 1986.
Oxford Scientific Publications. $73. This multi-authored volume reviews the literature and research on chemical and biochemical studies of copepods. The chapters are: chemical composition and energy content; lipids; release of soluble end products of metabolism; digestive enzymes and their relation to nutrition; enzymatic measurements of metabolic processes concerned with respiration and ammonia excretion; copepod fecal pellets and the vertical flux of biolipids. Copepods such a Calanus, Acartiu and Euphnusia have an important role in the marine food chain. The highly unsaturated fatty acids of phytoplankton allow the biosynthesis of high melting point long-chain monounsaturated fatty alcohols and hence large amounts of wax esters to be deposited in the copepods. Their excreted ammonia and phosphate are rapidly taken up by phytoplankton and bacteria and so recycled. The volume will be useful to those studying marine food chains and marine biochemistry.
Chitin in Nature and Technology-Edited by R. MUZZARELLI, C. JEUNIAUXand G. W. GOODAY. 583 pp.
1986. Plenum Press, New York. $98.50. The structural polysaccharide chitin is found in arthropods, molluscs and fungi. The present volume contains the published papers of the 3rd International Conference on chitin and chitosan. The papers are grouped into sections: (1) Chitin in skeletal structures of animals; (2) Chitin in skeletal structures of microbes (yeast and fungi); (3) Chitin synthesis inhibition; (4) Molecular recognition and biodegradation; (5) Chemistry of chitin; (6) Medical uses of chitin; (7) Chitin ecology. The benzoylureas such as diflubenzuron interfere with chitin biosynthesis and are important insecticides with little or no pathogenic effects on vertebrates including man. They are also easily degraded in the soil after use. Purified chitosans have been used medically as hemostatic agents, blood anti-coagulants and to accelerate wound healing. Chitin has also been used in water filters to absorb proteins, heavy metals and other pollutants. This book provides a good survey of the research front and the practical applications of chitin.
Biology of Spcrmatogenesis and Spermatozoa in Mammals by SARDUL S. GURAYA. 430 pp. 1987. Springer, Berlin. DM 298.
This single author volume surveys Spermatogenesis (seminiferous epithelium, spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids and spermiogenesis, antigens during spermatogenesis) and Spermatazoa (head, neck, cytoplasmic droplet, tail plasma membrane and surface components, sperm motility). Spermatogenesis is affected by heat, radiation, nutrition, ageing, diabetes, disease and drugs. Gametogenesis differs in primates, farm animals and rodents and this volume gives emphasis to the differences in spermatogenesis and the sensitivity of the different stages to radiation, etc., throughout the mammals. There is a bibliography of 53 pages.
ROY T. SHAW. Volume 1, Anatomy, physiology and behnviour. 417 pp. $85. Volume 2, Feeding biology, ecology and systematics. 372 pp. $75 Volume 3, Bibliography. 264 pp. S40 (all three volumes,
Lee& biology and bebavionr-by
$200). 1986. Oxford Scientific Publications, Oxford. These three volumes provide an excellent and interesting account of what is known about leeches. They deal with the status of leeches as an advanced group of the annelids showing indications of what is to come in the arthropods. Topics covered are: leech reproduction and development; vascular system and respiration; nephridia and osmoregulation; tegument and connective tissue; nervous system; muscular system; sensory system; head, brain and higher order function; behaviour; feeding and biogenergetics; carnivorous habit; digestion; ecology and freshwater leeches; ecology of marine leeches; ecology of terrestrial and tropical leeches; systematics and evolution; zoogeography; and a bibliography is included. The author has made many studies on the biochemistry, physiology and pharmacology of the leech salivary secretions which have led him on to a wider study of the evolution, distribution and systematics of leeches. There has not been an extensive account of leech biology in English and these well illustrated fully documented volumes will stimulate many readers to study and research this important group of animals.
Adaptations to Salhdty and Dehydratiorr-Edited by B. KIRXH and B. LALOU.204 pp. 1987. Karger, Basel. $118.75. Comparative Physiology of Environmental Adaptations, Volume 1.
The 8th conference of the European Society for Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry held at the 1986 meeting on salinity and dehydration is published here. The main sections are on epithelial and cellular mechanisms of transport; endocrine regulation of salt and water transport; adaptation of membrane composition, supracellular compartments and transport. There are 19 reviews, each of which is well illustrated and has a detailed bibliography. Adaptations to Extreme Environments---Edited by P. DEIOURS.224 pp. 1987. Karger, Basel. $118.75. Comparative
Physiology of Environmental Adaptations, Volume 2. The main sections in this volume are stress; gravity and diving; extreme temperatures; from hypoxia to hyperoxia and metabolic adaptations. There are 17 reviews, each of which is well illustrated and has a detailed bibliography.
Biomineralization of Lower Plants and Animals-Edited by B. S. C. LEADBEATERand R. RIDING. Volume Xl of the Systematic Association. 398 pp. 1986. Clarendon Press,
Oxford. $80. Calcification and the deposition of silica occurs widely in plants and animals. This symposium held in Birmingham in 1985 discusses the processes in bacteria, cyanobacteria, lichens, algae, and protozoa. There is much information on the crystal structure of the minerals, together with EM pictures of the minerals deposited in siru. The transport, deposition and reabsorption of minerals uses certain basic 709
1988
Printed in Great Britain
0
0300-9629/88 $3.00 + 0.00 1988 Pergamon Press plc
BOOK REVIEWS Tbe Biological Chemistry of Marine Copepods-Edited by E. D. S. CORNER and S. C. M. O’HARA. 349 pp. 1986.
Oxford Scientific Publications. $73. This multi-authored volume reviews the literature and research on chemical and biochemical studies of copepods. The chapters are: chemical composition and energy content; lipids; release of soluble end products of metabolism; digestive enzymes and their relation to nutrition; enzymatic measurements of metabolic processes concerned with respiration and ammonia excretion; copepod fecal pellets and the vertical flux of biolipids. Copepods such a Calanus, Acartiu and Euphnusia have an important role in the marine food chain. The highly unsaturated fatty acids of phytoplankton allow the biosynthesis of high melting point long-chain monounsaturated fatty alcohols and hence large amounts of wax esters to be deposited in the copepods. Their excreted ammonia and phosphate are rapidly taken up by phytoplankton and bacteria and so recycled. The volume will be useful to those studying marine food chains and marine biochemistry.
Chitin in Nature and Technology-Edited by R. MUZZARELLI, C. JEUNIAUXand G. W. GOODAY. 583 pp.
1986. Plenum Press, New York. $98.50. The structural polysaccharide chitin is found in arthropods, molluscs and fungi. The present volume contains the published papers of the 3rd International Conference on chitin and chitosan. The papers are grouped into sections: (1) Chitin in skeletal structures of animals; (2) Chitin in skeletal structures of microbes (yeast and fungi); (3) Chitin synthesis inhibition; (4) Molecular recognition and biodegradation; (5) Chemistry of chitin; (6) Medical uses of chitin; (7) Chitin ecology. The benzoylureas such as diflubenzuron interfere with chitin biosynthesis and are important insecticides with little or no pathogenic effects on vertebrates including man. They are also easily degraded in the soil after use. Purified chitosans have been used medically as hemostatic agents, blood anti-coagulants and to accelerate wound healing. Chitin has also been used in water filters to absorb proteins, heavy metals and other pollutants. This book provides a good survey of the research front and the practical applications of chitin.
Biology of Spcrmatogenesis and Spermatozoa in Mammals by SARDUL S. GURAYA. 430 pp. 1987. Springer, Berlin. DM 298.
This single author volume surveys Spermatogenesis (seminiferous epithelium, spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids and spermiogenesis, antigens during spermatogenesis) and Spermatazoa (head, neck, cytoplasmic droplet, tail plasma membrane and surface components, sperm motility). Spermatogenesis is affected by heat, radiation, nutrition, ageing, diabetes, disease and drugs. Gametogenesis differs in primates, farm animals and rodents and this volume gives emphasis to the differences in spermatogenesis and the sensitivity of the different stages to radiation, etc., throughout the mammals. There is a bibliography of 53 pages.
ROY T. SHAW. Volume 1, Anatomy, physiology and behnviour. 417 pp. $85. Volume 2, Feeding biology, ecology and systematics. 372 pp. $75 Volume 3, Bibliography. 264 pp. S40 (all three volumes,
Lee& biology and bebavionr-by
$200). 1986. Oxford Scientific Publications, Oxford. These three volumes provide an excellent and interesting account of what is known about leeches. They deal with the status of leeches as an advanced group of the annelids showing indications of what is to come in the arthropods. Topics covered are: leech reproduction and development; vascular system and respiration; nephridia and osmoregulation; tegument and connective tissue; nervous system; muscular system; sensory system; head, brain and higher order function; behaviour; feeding and biogenergetics; carnivorous habit; digestion; ecology and freshwater leeches; ecology of marine leeches; ecology of terrestrial and tropical leeches; systematics and evolution; zoogeography; and a bibliography is included. The author has made many studies on the biochemistry, physiology and pharmacology of the leech salivary secretions which have led him on to a wider study of the evolution, distribution and systematics of leeches. There has not been an extensive account of leech biology in English and these well illustrated fully documented volumes will stimulate many readers to study and research this important group of animals.
Adaptations to Salhdty and Dehydratiorr-Edited by B. KIRXH and B. LALOU.204 pp. 1987. Karger, Basel. $118.75. Comparative Physiology of Environmental Adaptations, Volume 1.
The 8th conference of the European Society for Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry held at the 1986 meeting on salinity and dehydration is published here. The main sections are on epithelial and cellular mechanisms of transport; endocrine regulation of salt and water transport; adaptation of membrane composition, supracellular compartments and transport. There are 19 reviews, each of which is well illustrated and has a detailed bibliography. Adaptations to Extreme Environments---Edited by P. DEIOURS.224 pp. 1987. Karger, Basel. $118.75. Comparative
Physiology of Environmental Adaptations, Volume 2. The main sections in this volume are stress; gravity and diving; extreme temperatures; from hypoxia to hyperoxia and metabolic adaptations. There are 17 reviews, each of which is well illustrated and has a detailed bibliography.
Biomineralization of Lower Plants and Animals-Edited by B. S. C. LEADBEATERand R. RIDING. Volume Xl of the Systematic Association. 398 pp. 1986. Clarendon Press,
Oxford. $80. Calcification and the deposition of silica occurs widely in plants and animals. This symposium held in Birmingham in 1985 discusses the processes in bacteria, cyanobacteria, lichens, algae, and protozoa. There is much information on the crystal structure of the minerals, together with EM pictures of the minerals deposited in siru. The transport, deposition and reabsorption of minerals uses certain basic 709