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Advanced research on animal cell technology
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Book Reviews
For the Love of Enzymes; the Odyssey of a BiochemistARTHUR KORNBERG. 336 pp. 1989. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, U.S.A. $29.95. “Throughout college I worked evenings, weekends and school holidays as a salesman in men’s furnishings stores. This left me with little time for study or sleep and none for leisure. With my earnings of about $14 a week (a plum salary in those days), a New York State Regents Scholarship of $100 a year, no college tuition to pay and frugal living. I saved enough to see myself through the first half of medical school at the University of Rochester”. Kornberg’s book provides an excellent account of his life and experiences and also presents a great deal of biochemistry (especially the search for the synthesis of DNA polymers) in an interesting manner.
Hazards of Biotechnology; Real or Imaginary?-Edited by A. D. DAYAN, P. N. CAMPBELLand T. H. &KE~. 138 pp. 1988. Elsevier Applied Science, London. $45. Also published in J. them. Tech. Biotech. (1988) 43, No. 4. Biotechnology has been used in the food industry to make beer, cheese and bread for thousands of years. New foods are being developed from fungi, from fish and from bean proteins. This book surveys the subject and includes chapters on gene transfer; DNA probes for prenatal diagnosis; vaccines against hepatitis B; the development of new drugs [interferons, interleukin 2, tumor necrosis factor, Factor VIII, erythropoietin, monoclonal antibodies, insulin, growth hormone, plasminogen activator]; U.K. and E.E.C. regulations; and the legal and ethical problems. It provides common sense and valid information where the media (tabloids, T.V., newspapers and even some scientific journals) prefer to scare.
Oxygen Radicals in Biology and Medicine-Edited by M. G. SIMIC, K. A. TAYLOR, J. F. WARD and C. VON SONNTAQ. 1095 pp. 1988. Plenum Press, New York. $139.50. This book is based on papers presented at the 4th Imernational Congress on Oxygen Free Radicals. It deals with the highly reactive oxygen free radicals, hydroxy, peroxy, alkoxy, aroxy and superoxide as well as with singlet oxygen. The papers are grouped into sections on; kinetics and mechanisms; generation of oxy radicals; detection and measurement; chemiluminescence; presence in lipids; in lipoproteins; in DNA; oxidative stress; antioxidant defence [glutathione, ascorbic .acid, desferal, mercaptoethylamine, vitamin E]; enzymatic defence; pharmacology and toxicology; neutrophils and phagocytosis; ischaemia-reperfusion;
cardiovascular system; general medicine and ageing. The vohkme provides a useful survey of the ubiquitous presence and roles of oxygen free radicals.
Biotechnological Applications of Lipid Microstructure+Edited by B. P. GABER, J. M. SCHNUR and D. CHAPMAN. 397 pp. 1988. Plenum Press, New York. $79.50. There have been many developments over the 20 years since Bangham developed the liposomes (L). This volume describes the physical properties of phospholipid bilayers; membrane fusion and inclusion; L in drug delivery systems; L encapsulated Hb; synthetic erythrocytes; L based immunoassays; artificial cells; immobilized photosynthetic membranes and cells for production of fuels and chemicals; energy transfer in bilayers; novel biomaterials [magnetosomes, hemodialysis, blood clotting, prostaglandins].
Milk Proteins; Nutritional, Clinical, Functional and Technological Aspect-Edited by C. A. BARTH and E. SCHLIMME. 308 pp. 1989. Springer Verlag, Berlin. $44.50. The topics discussed in this book include milk proteins and nitrogen equilibrium; homoarginine method for evaluation of protein digestibility; lactoferrin content; lactoferrin receptors in the intestine; role of ligands [manganese and iron]; structural and genetic aspects: protein modification in milk due to processing: milk protein allergy; enteral vs parenteral feeding; clinical nutrition. A very useful survey of a major food.
Advanced Research on Animal Ceil Technology-Edited by A. 0. MILLER. 421 pp. 1989. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Holland. DFI 225, $119, f73. This is the proceedings of a NATO symposium. The topics discussed include; role of the extracellular matrix; gap junctions and communication; fibronectin; mass culture of cells; hollow fibre bioreactors; perfusion culture; biosensors; effect of retinoids on growth and differentiation; PI metabolism and control of cell proliferation; modifications of the cell genome; use of microbeads for cell transplantation; culture of hybridomas. Cell culture techniques are becoming very important for the isolation of natural products [hormones, growth factors, secreted materials], in the study of cellular differentiation, control of cell growth a.nd action of drugs on cells. This book provides interesting information on this rapidly developing scientific and industrial subject.
Book Reviews
For the Love of Enzymes; the Odyssey of a BiochemistARTHUR KORNBERG. 336 pp. 1989. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, U.S.A. $29.95. “Throughout college I worked evenings, weekends and school holidays as a salesman in men’s furnishings stores. This left me with little time for study or sleep and none for leisure. With my earnings of about $14 a week (a plum salary in those days), a New York State Regents Scholarship of $100 a year, no college tuition to pay and frugal living. I saved enough to see myself through the first half of medical school at the University of Rochester”. Kornberg’s book provides an excellent account of his life and experiences and also presents a great deal of biochemistry (especially the search for the synthesis of DNA polymers) in an interesting manner.
Hazards of Biotechnology; Real or Imaginary?-Edited by A. D. DAYAN, P. N. CAMPBELLand T. H. &KE~. 138 pp. 1988. Elsevier Applied Science, London. $45. Also published in J. them. Tech. Biotech. (1988) 43, No. 4. Biotechnology has been used in the food industry to make beer, cheese and bread for thousands of years. New foods are being developed from fungi, from fish and from bean proteins. This book surveys the subject and includes chapters on gene transfer; DNA probes for prenatal diagnosis; vaccines against hepatitis B; the development of new drugs [interferons, interleukin 2, tumor necrosis factor, Factor VIII, erythropoietin, monoclonal antibodies, insulin, growth hormone, plasminogen activator]; U.K. and E.E.C. regulations; and the legal and ethical problems. It provides common sense and valid information where the media (tabloids, T.V., newspapers and even some scientific journals) prefer to scare.
Oxygen Radicals in Biology and Medicine-Edited by M. G. SIMIC, K. A. TAYLOR, J. F. WARD and C. VON SONNTAQ. 1095 pp. 1988. Plenum Press, New York. $139.50. This book is based on papers presented at the 4th Imernational Congress on Oxygen Free Radicals. It deals with the highly reactive oxygen free radicals, hydroxy, peroxy, alkoxy, aroxy and superoxide as well as with singlet oxygen. The papers are grouped into sections on; kinetics and mechanisms; generation of oxy radicals; detection and measurement; chemiluminescence; presence in lipids; in lipoproteins; in DNA; oxidative stress; antioxidant defence [glutathione, ascorbic .acid, desferal, mercaptoethylamine, vitamin E]; enzymatic defence; pharmacology and toxicology; neutrophils and phagocytosis; ischaemia-reperfusion;
cardiovascular system; general medicine and ageing. The vohkme provides a useful survey of the ubiquitous presence and roles of oxygen free radicals.
Biotechnological Applications of Lipid Microstructure+Edited by B. P. GABER, J. M. SCHNUR and D. CHAPMAN. 397 pp. 1988. Plenum Press, New York. $79.50. There have been many developments over the 20 years since Bangham developed the liposomes (L). This volume describes the physical properties of phospholipid bilayers; membrane fusion and inclusion; L in drug delivery systems; L encapsulated Hb; synthetic erythrocytes; L based immunoassays; artificial cells; immobilized photosynthetic membranes and cells for production of fuels and chemicals; energy transfer in bilayers; novel biomaterials [magnetosomes, hemodialysis, blood clotting, prostaglandins].
Milk Proteins; Nutritional, Clinical, Functional and Technological Aspect-Edited by C. A. BARTH and E. SCHLIMME. 308 pp. 1989. Springer Verlag, Berlin. $44.50. The topics discussed in this book include milk proteins and nitrogen equilibrium; homoarginine method for evaluation of protein digestibility; lactoferrin content; lactoferrin receptors in the intestine; role of ligands [manganese and iron]; structural and genetic aspects: protein modification in milk due to processing: milk protein allergy; enteral vs parenteral feeding; clinical nutrition. A very useful survey of a major food.
Advanced Research on Animal Ceil Technology-Edited by A. 0. MILLER. 421 pp. 1989. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Holland. DFI 225, $119, f73. This is the proceedings of a NATO symposium. The topics discussed include; role of the extracellular matrix; gap junctions and communication; fibronectin; mass culture of cells; hollow fibre bioreactors; perfusion culture; biosensors; effect of retinoids on growth and differentiation; PI metabolism and control of cell proliferation; modifications of the cell genome; use of microbeads for cell transplantation; culture of hybridomas. Cell culture techniques are becoming very important for the isolation of natural products [hormones, growth factors, secreted materials], in the study of cellular differentiation, control of cell growth a.nd action of drugs on cells. This book provides interesting information on this rapidly developing scientific and industrial subject.