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Mitochondria and other cytoplasmic inclusions
BOOK
REVIEWS
513
measurements are generally the most useful for structure determinations. A section of this chapter on infrared methodology is followed by one on its applicat)ion, with special emphasis on st,eroids. III the following chapter, 0. Th. Schmidt discusses the gallotnnnins and the ellagic acid tannins, and this is followed by a chapter by Ch. Tamm on recent results in the field of the cardiac glycosides. The troponoid ring system is found widely distributed in terpenoids, fungal metabolites, alkaloids, glucosides, and pigments. Progress in t.he structural det,ermination of the natural tropolones is described in a chapter by T. Nozoe. In addit,ion, some general methods for t,he synthesis of various types of troponoids is outlined, and the properties of these compounds are described. There follow two chapters on alkaloids. In t,he first of thcsc, by J. R. Price, $1~: chemistry of a number of alkaloids having a certain structllral featnrc in common is discussed. This structural feature, sometimes representing ordy n small poriion of the molecule, has a skeletal pattern of a benzene ring\vith a carbon and a nitrogen atom on adjacent positions, and is referred to as the “ant.hranilic acid unit .” The classes of alkaloids considered under this classification are: anthranilic acid derivatives as such, simple quinoline derivatives, the acridine alkaloids, the furoquinolinc alkaloids, the quinazoline alkaloids, and the quindolinc alkaloids. In the review on Ruuwol$a alkaloids last published in t,hese ForfschGlfe in 1953, the 1iter:lture was covered up to 1952. Since then, the increasing medicinal use of IZuu~oolfia bases as sedative and hypotensive drags hay aroused :I great deal of interest in t,hese subst,ances, and a, voluminous lit,er:rture has accumulated during t,he interval. The present review is divided into two part,s: the first p:\rt, on the chemistry of the alkaloids, is by A. Chatterjee and S. C. Pakrashi; the second part, by G. Werner, is concerned with the pharmacology of these compounds. The final chapter of the book, by W. Grassmann and 11:.Wiinsch, is concerned with the synthesis of peptides.
Mitochondria and Other Cytopiasmic Inclusions. Symposia of the Socaiety for J’:sperirnental Biology. No. S. Academic Press Inc., P\‘ew York, S. Y., 19%. 198 pp., 4.5plates. Price $9.50. This excellent volume consists of papers presented at, the tenth annual S?/Vposilo)L oi the Society for ExperilrLental Biology held at Oxford in September, 1955. The f,est has been adequately supplemented with data obtained subsequent to the symposium. rl?he quality of photomicrographic plates t,hroughout the book al)l)c:rrn 00 IX excellent. One wishes for a better organization of the nlutcrial since chapters on related subjects are scattered through the t.e~t. For rc,view purpo~cs the snbjcets have been divided into five categories. I. I~ioche?f&xd Details oj Mullienz~~re Systems. 1). 1:. Green succinctly presents :L paper from the viewpoint of an crnyinologist concerned with properties of sllk)mit,o~hondri:ll unites and t.hcir relatio~lshil) to functions of the intact mitochondrion. II.
Isolation
and Hiochemicul
Propct~lirs
o,f ~~~~lop,las~~iic J'cf~~li~/~s.
,514
ROOK REVIE\vS
E. C. Slater aptly reviews the status of knowledge on muscle mitochondria, while C. de Duve and A. B. Xovikoff present extensive evidence for biochemical heterogeneity of the liver cell mitochondrial and microsomal population. These provocative observations should st.imulate further st.udy in this area. Observations of int’erest and importance showing how isolation procedures may affect the morphological and biochemical properties of mitochondria are presented in these chapters. 111. Inclusions oj Invertebrate and Plant Cells. C. X. C. Crawford considers the inclusions of the snail amebocyte, wrhile .J. Chayen and S. Fitton Jackson discuss the inclttsions of plant, roots. These papers, like ibat concerning the “Fine Si,ructure of the I’rotazoon Spirostomum an,.big~rtn~” by J. T. Randall, present observat,ions employing staining reactions, phase contrast, and electron microscopy. Little information concerning t,he enzytnic nat,ure of these inclusions appears to 1~ available. IV. Phase Contrast and Interference Microscopy in the S’tzdy of Cell S’tructure. This chapter by It. Raren and S. .Joseph is particularly valuable to the biochemist who has had litt,le opporttmity to become familiar with these somewhat, newer and bcaut~iful mct,hods for the examination of int,act cells and isolated cell particulates. Brief discussions of theoretic~al principles and the use of immersion refract,ometry are given. Applications arc demonst.ratetl with ohservat,ions on insect spermatocytes. V. The Golgi Complex.
Three papers deal wit,h this cytoplasmic inclusion region. The cytologist will find more of imtnediate int.c!rest here than will t.he biochemist. “The Golgi Con trovemy-” is outjlined by J. It. Baker who holds that the complex is largely an artifact arising from the met,hodology used in sample preparation. On the ot.her hand, J. Dalton and M. D. Felix, and D. J,acy and C. E. Challice have written chapters presenting extensive evidence support,ing t.he reality of this complex (system or apparatus). In the introduction to their chapter, Chayen and Jackson have, for t,his reviewer, yinpoint.ed t,he value of this book. Cytoplasmic inclusions have been studied from three unrelated approaches, classical cytology and cytochemistry, electron microscopy, and hiochemist,ry. Recently a number of workers have at,tempted to correlate these lines of inquiry. Presentat.ion of research accomplishments at these symposia by experts in various areas of endeavor permits a broader diffusion of observations and idea,s. It is to be hoped that t,he near future will witness expansion of these opportunities. The secrets of the cell mtrst. yield to such synergistic effort,s. It. W. VON Konr~,
Minneapolis,
Minnesota
Gas Chromatography. By ,4. I. M. KEur,EtitANs. Edited by C. G. VERVER, Research Chemist, Koninklyke/Shell-I,aboratorium, Amsterdam. Reinhold Publish ing Corporation, New York; Chapman h Hall, Ltd., 1,ondon; 1957. xx + 217 pp. Price $7.50.
REVIEWS
513
measurements are generally the most useful for structure determinations. A section of this chapter on infrared methodology is followed by one on its applicat)ion, with special emphasis on st,eroids. III the following chapter, 0. Th. Schmidt discusses the gallotnnnins and the ellagic acid tannins, and this is followed by a chapter by Ch. Tamm on recent results in the field of the cardiac glycosides. The troponoid ring system is found widely distributed in terpenoids, fungal metabolites, alkaloids, glucosides, and pigments. Progress in t.he structural det,ermination of the natural tropolones is described in a chapter by T. Nozoe. In addit,ion, some general methods for t,he synthesis of various types of troponoids is outlined, and the properties of these compounds are described. There follow two chapters on alkaloids. In t,he first of thcsc, by J. R. Price, $1~: chemistry of a number of alkaloids having a certain structllral featnrc in common is discussed. This structural feature, sometimes representing ordy n small poriion of the molecule, has a skeletal pattern of a benzene ring\vith a carbon and a nitrogen atom on adjacent positions, and is referred to as the “ant.hranilic acid unit .” The classes of alkaloids considered under this classification are: anthranilic acid derivatives as such, simple quinoline derivatives, the acridine alkaloids, the furoquinolinc alkaloids, the quinazoline alkaloids, and the quindolinc alkaloids. In the review on Ruuwol$a alkaloids last published in t,hese ForfschGlfe in 1953, the 1iter:lture was covered up to 1952. Since then, the increasing medicinal use of IZuu~oolfia bases as sedative and hypotensive drags hay aroused :I great deal of interest in t,hese subst,ances, and a, voluminous lit,er:rture has accumulated during t,he interval. The present review is divided into two part,s: the first p:\rt, on the chemistry of the alkaloids, is by A. Chatterjee and S. C. Pakrashi; the second part, by G. Werner, is concerned with the pharmacology of these compounds. The final chapter of the book, by W. Grassmann and 11:.Wiinsch, is concerned with the synthesis of peptides.
Mitochondria and Other Cytopiasmic Inclusions. Symposia of the Socaiety for J’:sperirnental Biology. No. S. Academic Press Inc., P\‘ew York, S. Y., 19%. 198 pp., 4.5plates. Price $9.50. This excellent volume consists of papers presented at, the tenth annual S?/Vposilo)L oi the Society for ExperilrLental Biology held at Oxford in September, 1955. The f,est has been adequately supplemented with data obtained subsequent to the symposium. rl?he quality of photomicrographic plates t,hroughout the book al)l)c:rrn 00 IX excellent. One wishes for a better organization of the nlutcrial since chapters on related subjects are scattered through the t.e~t. For rc,view purpo~cs the snbjcets have been divided into five categories. I. I~ioche?f&xd Details oj Mullienz~~re Systems. 1). 1:. Green succinctly presents :L paper from the viewpoint of an crnyinologist concerned with properties of sllk)mit,o~hondri:ll unites and t.hcir relatio~lshil) to functions of the intact mitochondrion. II.
Isolation
and Hiochemicul
Propct~lirs
o,f ~~~~lop,las~~iic J'cf~~li~/~s.
,514
ROOK REVIE\vS
E. C. Slater aptly reviews the status of knowledge on muscle mitochondria, while C. de Duve and A. B. Xovikoff present extensive evidence for biochemical heterogeneity of the liver cell mitochondrial and microsomal population. These provocative observations should st.imulate further st.udy in this area. Observations of int’erest and importance showing how isolation procedures may affect the morphological and biochemical properties of mitochondria are presented in these chapters. 111. Inclusions oj Invertebrate and Plant Cells. C. X. C. Crawford considers the inclusions of the snail amebocyte, wrhile .J. Chayen and S. Fitton Jackson discuss the inclttsions of plant, roots. These papers, like ibat concerning the “Fine Si,ructure of the I’rotazoon Spirostomum an,.big~rtn~” by J. T. Randall, present observat,ions employing staining reactions, phase contrast, and electron microscopy. Little information concerning t,he enzytnic nat,ure of these inclusions appears to 1~ available. IV. Phase Contrast and Interference Microscopy in the S’tzdy of Cell S’tructure. This chapter by It. Raren and S. .Joseph is particularly valuable to the biochemist who has had litt,le opporttmity to become familiar with these somewhat, newer and bcaut~iful mct,hods for the examination of int,act cells and isolated cell particulates. Brief discussions of theoretic~al principles and the use of immersion refract,ometry are given. Applications arc demonst.ratetl with ohservat,ions on insect spermatocytes. V. The Golgi Complex.
Three papers deal wit,h this cytoplasmic inclusion region. The cytologist will find more of imtnediate int.c!rest here than will t.he biochemist. “The Golgi Con trovemy-” is outjlined by J. It. Baker who holds that the complex is largely an artifact arising from the met,hodology used in sample preparation. On the ot.her hand, J. Dalton and M. D. Felix, and D. J,acy and C. E. Challice have written chapters presenting extensive evidence support,ing t.he reality of this complex (system or apparatus). In the introduction to their chapter, Chayen and Jackson have, for t,his reviewer, yinpoint.ed t,he value of this book. Cytoplasmic inclusions have been studied from three unrelated approaches, classical cytology and cytochemistry, electron microscopy, and hiochemist,ry. Recently a number of workers have at,tempted to correlate these lines of inquiry. Presentat.ion of research accomplishments at these symposia by experts in various areas of endeavor permits a broader diffusion of observations and idea,s. It is to be hoped that t,he near future will witness expansion of these opportunities. The secrets of the cell mtrst. yield to such synergistic effort,s. It. W. VON Konr~,
Minneapolis,
Minnesota
Gas Chromatography. By ,4. I. M. KEur,EtitANs. Edited by C. G. VERVER, Research Chemist, Koninklyke/Shell-I,aboratorium, Amsterdam. Reinhold Publish ing Corporation, New York; Chapman h Hall, Ltd., 1,ondon; 1957. xx + 217 pp. Price $7.50.