Colour atlas and text of clinical medicine second edition

56 chemistry (although the whole series is called Methods in Molecular Biology)? The chapters or sections are arranged in groups of related techniques. These are: quantitation of proteins, electrophoresis in gels, blotting and detection methods, chemical modification of proteins and peptide production and purification, protein/ peptide characterisation, glycoproteins, immunochemical techniques, and finally monoclonal antibodies. This collection will be very valuable actually in the lab, but would also be extremely useful to those devising laboratory practical classes. It will remain up to date for a number of years I would imagine, and at this price, you get a lot for your money. J Lewis

This book may be useful for a postgraduate course on magnetic resonance. It certainly contains an interesting range of developments in the history of NMR. However, readers of Biochemical Education are likely to find the book rather lacking in coverage of the more recent biologically relevant advances. John Arnold

Cell Proliferation in Cancer Regulating Mechanisms of Neoplastic Cell Growth

The field of membrane biology is rapidly and vastly expanding. This book consists of a series of reviews on some topics in this field. It is divided into seven sections: (1) Signal transduction: (2) Membrane traffic: Proteins and lipids; (3) Bioenergetics: Energy transfer and membrane transport; (4) Cellular ion homeostasis; (5) Growth factors and adhesion molecules; (6) Structural analysis of membrane proteins; and (7) Membranes and disease. The first section covers recent work done on the role of p21ras in receptor tyrosine kinase signalling, casein kinase-2, G protein-coupled P2 purinoceptors and control of the cell cycle in S. cerevisiae. The second section updates the reader on protein import into mitochondria, translocation of bacterial protein toxins across membranes, rab GTPases, role of rab GTPases in vesicular transport, regulation of autophagy, biochemistry and molecular genetics of glycosphingolipids and sphingolipid activation proteins. The third section discusses ATP synthase and its functions, structure-function relationships in the mitochondrial carrier family and the mechanisms of proton pumps in the respiratory chain. In the fourth section the metabolism of adenosine diphosphate ribose and adenosine diphosphate ribulose and also Mg 2+ homeostasis in cardiac ventricular myocytes are discussed. The fifth section gives the role of growth factor receptors in signal transduction, that of cell surface associated mucins and fl-2 integrins on cell adhesion. The sixth section reviews the structural analysis of membrane proteins, that of porin, annexin V and helix-helix interactions inside membranes. The last section reviews the theory and molecular genetics of mitochondrial aging. It should serve as a very handy reference book on membrane biology. C V Anand and Usha Anand

Edited by L Pusztai, C E Lewis and E Yap. p p 337. Oxford University Press, 1996. £75 I S B N 0-19-854791-9 This highly condensed volume covers a vast area and successfully covers a very wide range of topics. It deals with cell growth, the Cell Cycle, oncogenes, cytokines, and growth factor networks, application and therapeutic potential for growth factor/cytokine manipulation. There are also chapters on hormonal regulation of cancer cell growth, the use of retinoids in neoplasia, metastasis and finally, differentiation. The chapters are written by experts in their fields. The book will be of more value to researchers and those preparing lectures, but project, MSc and PhD students would find it of value. There is an extensive index. R J Neild

Magnetic Resonance in Perspective: Highlights of a Quarter Century Edited by W S Brey. pp 681. A c a d e m i c Press, London. £44 I S B N 0-12-133145-8 The Journal of Magnetic Resonance (JMR) was launched in 1969, so it has recently passed the 25-year mark. Magnetic Resonance in Perspective: Highlights of a Quarter Century has been published to commemorate this occasion. It is a collection of 55 original papers reprinted from the journal. EPR is covered by only four papers, so there is a strong bias towards NMR. Most of the major advances in NMR during this period have representative examples amongst this collection. Probably of most interest to biologists are those covering development of Fourier Transform NMR, practical aspects of two- and three-dimensional experiments and the application of these to large biomolecules, various types of imaging, and the use of pulsed field gradients in 2D experiments, which is covered by the short final paper. Although the book is notionally a reflection of 25 years' progress in magnetic resonance as reflected by the output of JMR, relatively few papers are taken from recent years despite the increasing number of pages now being published. Of the five most recent papers reproduced, two were originally published in 1988, two in 1989 and one in 1990. Important developments since 1990, such as the numerous multidimensional experiments which have been applied to labelled biomolecules, are absent. In 1993, JMR was divided into Series A and B. Series B is devoted to biological and biochemical applications, page demand for which has steadily built up, especially in recent years. This reflects the importance of biology as an application for magnetic resonance. Although this division was surely a notable event in the history of this journal, it is not apparent in the book or even mentioned in the Preface.

BIOCHEMICAL EDUCATION 25(1) 1997

Biochemistry of Cell Membranes: A Compendium of Selected Topics Edited by S P a p a and J M Tager. pp 376. Birkhauser Verlag, Basel. 1995. $149 I S B N 3-7643-5056-3

Colour Atlas and Text of Clinical Medicine Second Edition by C D Forbes and W F Jackson. pp 534. Mosby-Wolfe (Times-Mirror International), London. 1997. £24.95 ISBN 0-7234-2198-6 This journal would not normally review a book such as this which is for clinical audience. However, more and more of us will be expanding our teaching horizons by having to deal with integrated courses and problem-based learning, and books such as this will prove extremely valuable in providing background, illustrations and examples, to help us. It is a worthy successor to the first edition and has a fund of photographs, even though I thought some were slightly redundant (eg the section on allergy to cats has a picture of cats). The index is very comprehensive but the print is tiny. The sections are: Infections, Skin, Joints and Bones, Respiratory, Cardiovascular, Renal, Endocrine, Metabolic and Nutritional, Gastrointestinal, Liver and Pancreas, Blood, Nerve and Muscle. D N Appleby