- Email: [email protected]
Books received for review
344
Book reviews
especially the membranes covering endothelial cells during endocytosis and exocytosis. Basal infoldings, microvilli and intercellular junctions are also described. The remainder of the book consists of pairs of electron micrographs, one thin-section micrograph facing each freeze-etchpicture. They illustrate and compare the details of representative cells from the digestive tract, pancreas,liver, respiratory tract, kidney, muscle, nervous system, connective tissue and blood. Each pair is described in detail and about half of the legends end with selectedreferences. The authors have gone to great lengths to ensure that the free-etchand thin-section micrographs match one another pictorially as closely as possible, so that the relatively unfamiliar freeze-etch images are selfexplanatory when compared with their opposite numbers. The quality of the photography and blockmaking is awesome-not a scratch-mark, hair or flaw appears anywhere. I wish I could alford the .S62! Chemical Carcinogenesis Essays. IARC Scientific Publications No. 10. Edited by R. Montesano and L. Tomatis. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, 1974. pp. xiv + 230. Sw.fr. 50 (available in UK from HMSO). The collected essaysand discussions in this book formed the basis of a workshop convened by the IARC and the Catholic University of Louvain in December 1973.The aim of the meeting was to discussexperimental models that would assist in making the extrapolation of experimental carcinogenesisdata from animals to man more reliable. Three major topics were covered, namely the metabolism of carcinogens. carcinogenesisin uitro and mutagenesis. The initial essaysin the book discuss the comparative metabolism of several carcinogens, including the aromatic amines, nitrosamines and polycyclic hydrocarbons and their epoxides, emphasis being attached to the marked species differences observed in both the pathways and rates of metabolism. The further complication of intraspecies variation in carcinogen metabolism is illustrated by reference to individual differences of benzopyrene-hydroxylase activity in man. Papers on carcinogenesis in vitro deal with mammalian cell models in which carcinogenic potency is indicated by the ability of a chemical to induce cell transformation. Only Iibroblastic cells have proved ‘transformable’, and the limited responsesof cultured epithelial cells to carcinogens is emphasized in an essay on the successfulmaintenance of liver cells in
in general, we are still at a very early stagein attempts to extrapolate any of these studies to the human situation. The book suffers basically from an attempt to cover too wide an area of experimental techniques, and the consequent paucity of analytical discussion is a significant failing. One would have liked to see the main priorities for future work highlighted, and an overall synthesis of current work presented. Unfortunately the reader is left with an excessof experimental detail, and an impression that we are only just beginning to realize the limitations of the systemsdescribed and the complexities of extrapolation. BOOKS
RECEIVED
FOR REVIEW
Residue Reviews. Residues of Pesticides and Other Contaminants in the Total Environment. Vol. 56.
Edited by F. A. Gunther. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1975.pp. viii + 138. DM 29.80. L4RC Monographs on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man: Some Aromatic Azo Compounds Vol. 8. International Agency for
Research on Cancer, Lyon, 1975. pp. 357. Sw.fr. 36.00 (available in UK from HMSO). Industrial Environmental Health. The Worker and the Community. 2nd Ed. Edited by L. V. Cralley and
P. R. Atkins. Academic Press Inc., London, 1975. pp. xv + 356. f13.70. Mouse Hepatic Neoplasia. Proceedings of a Workshop held at the H.T.S. Management Centre. Lane End, High Wycombe (Great Britain), 12-17 May 1974.Edited by W. H. Butler and P. M. Newberne. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1975.pp. xi + 195.$31.25. Chromatography. A Laboratory Handbook of Chromatographic and Electrophoretic Methods. 3rd Ed.
Edited by E. Heftmann. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Ltd., Berkshire, 1975. pp. xxx + 969. f23.50. Food Additives Tables. Compiled by Food Law Research Centre, Institute of European Studies. University of Brussels. Edited by E. J. Bigwood, M. Fondu, G. Art and H. van Gindertael. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1975. Loose-leaf publication. Dfl. 95.00. Food Protein Sources. International
Biological
Pro-
granune 4. Edited by N. W. Pirie. Cambridge University Press, London, 1975. pp. xx + 260. f7.50. Teratology Trends and Applications. Edited by C. L. Berry and D. E. Poswillo. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1975.pp. x + 238. $35.50. Caffeine as an Environmental Mutagen and the Problem of Synergistic Effects. Proceedings of the Sym-
posium organized by Professor B. A. Kihlman at Sevenessayson the wide topic of mutagenesiscomthe 3rd Annual Meeting of the European Environplete this collection of papers.Mutagenic test systems mental Mutagen Society in Uppsala, Sweden, on ranging in complexity from bacteria to mammals are June 5th, 1973. Edited by B. A. Kihlman. Elsevier discussed,as is their tendency to produce conflicting Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1974. results. In the final analysis, these results have to be pp. 155. 512.30. interpreted in terms of the carcinogenic potential of European Pharmacopoeia. Vol. I. Published under the the mutagen, and one essayis devoted to this difficult direction of the Council of Europe (Partial Agreeextrapolation. The overwhelming consensus of ment). European Treaty Series No. 50. Maisonopinion expressedby the authors is that none of the neuve S.A., 1969, pp. 401, 130,OOF. fr.; Vol. II test.. systems (1971) pp. xxi + 542, 130,OOF. fr.; Vol. III (1975), ^ discussed can stand alone as a reliable mdicator of carcmogenic potential. It is clear that. pp. xxii + 464, 200.00 F. fr. vitro.
Book reviews Residue Reviews. Residues of Pesticides and Other Contaminants in the Total Environment. Vol. 55. Edited by F. A. Gunther. Springer-Verlag. Berlin. 1975. pp. vi + 1.52.DM 39.10. Residue Reviews. Residues of Pesticides and Other Contaminants in the Total Environment. Vol. 57. Edited by F. A. Gunther. Springer-Verlag. Berlin, 1975. pp. vi + 152. DM 39.10. Promoting Health in the Human Environment. Edited by E. E. Mcycr and P. Sainsbury. World Health
345
Organization. Geneva. 1975. pp. 69. SW. fr. IXO. Clinical Aspects of the Teratogenicity of Drugs By H. Nishimura and T. Tanimura. Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1976. pp. xii + 453. Dfl. 135.00. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man: Some Aziridines. N-. S- & O-Mustards and Selenium Vol. 9. Intemational Agency for Research on Cancer. Lyon, 1975. pp. 268. SW. fr. 27.00 (available in UK from HMSO).
Book reviews
especially the membranes covering endothelial cells during endocytosis and exocytosis. Basal infoldings, microvilli and intercellular junctions are also described. The remainder of the book consists of pairs of electron micrographs, one thin-section micrograph facing each freeze-etchpicture. They illustrate and compare the details of representative cells from the digestive tract, pancreas,liver, respiratory tract, kidney, muscle, nervous system, connective tissue and blood. Each pair is described in detail and about half of the legends end with selectedreferences. The authors have gone to great lengths to ensure that the free-etchand thin-section micrographs match one another pictorially as closely as possible, so that the relatively unfamiliar freeze-etch images are selfexplanatory when compared with their opposite numbers. The quality of the photography and blockmaking is awesome-not a scratch-mark, hair or flaw appears anywhere. I wish I could alford the .S62! Chemical Carcinogenesis Essays. IARC Scientific Publications No. 10. Edited by R. Montesano and L. Tomatis. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, 1974. pp. xiv + 230. Sw.fr. 50 (available in UK from HMSO). The collected essaysand discussions in this book formed the basis of a workshop convened by the IARC and the Catholic University of Louvain in December 1973.The aim of the meeting was to discussexperimental models that would assist in making the extrapolation of experimental carcinogenesisdata from animals to man more reliable. Three major topics were covered, namely the metabolism of carcinogens. carcinogenesisin uitro and mutagenesis. The initial essaysin the book discuss the comparative metabolism of several carcinogens, including the aromatic amines, nitrosamines and polycyclic hydrocarbons and their epoxides, emphasis being attached to the marked species differences observed in both the pathways and rates of metabolism. The further complication of intraspecies variation in carcinogen metabolism is illustrated by reference to individual differences of benzopyrene-hydroxylase activity in man. Papers on carcinogenesis in vitro deal with mammalian cell models in which carcinogenic potency is indicated by the ability of a chemical to induce cell transformation. Only Iibroblastic cells have proved ‘transformable’, and the limited responsesof cultured epithelial cells to carcinogens is emphasized in an essay on the successfulmaintenance of liver cells in
in general, we are still at a very early stagein attempts to extrapolate any of these studies to the human situation. The book suffers basically from an attempt to cover too wide an area of experimental techniques, and the consequent paucity of analytical discussion is a significant failing. One would have liked to see the main priorities for future work highlighted, and an overall synthesis of current work presented. Unfortunately the reader is left with an excessof experimental detail, and an impression that we are only just beginning to realize the limitations of the systemsdescribed and the complexities of extrapolation. BOOKS
RECEIVED
FOR REVIEW
Residue Reviews. Residues of Pesticides and Other Contaminants in the Total Environment. Vol. 56.
Edited by F. A. Gunther. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1975.pp. viii + 138. DM 29.80. L4RC Monographs on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man: Some Aromatic Azo Compounds Vol. 8. International Agency for
Research on Cancer, Lyon, 1975. pp. 357. Sw.fr. 36.00 (available in UK from HMSO). Industrial Environmental Health. The Worker and the Community. 2nd Ed. Edited by L. V. Cralley and
P. R. Atkins. Academic Press Inc., London, 1975. pp. xv + 356. f13.70. Mouse Hepatic Neoplasia. Proceedings of a Workshop held at the H.T.S. Management Centre. Lane End, High Wycombe (Great Britain), 12-17 May 1974.Edited by W. H. Butler and P. M. Newberne. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1975.pp. xi + 195.$31.25. Chromatography. A Laboratory Handbook of Chromatographic and Electrophoretic Methods. 3rd Ed.
Edited by E. Heftmann. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Ltd., Berkshire, 1975. pp. xxx + 969. f23.50. Food Additives Tables. Compiled by Food Law Research Centre, Institute of European Studies. University of Brussels. Edited by E. J. Bigwood, M. Fondu, G. Art and H. van Gindertael. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1975. Loose-leaf publication. Dfl. 95.00. Food Protein Sources. International
Biological
Pro-
granune 4. Edited by N. W. Pirie. Cambridge University Press, London, 1975. pp. xx + 260. f7.50. Teratology Trends and Applications. Edited by C. L. Berry and D. E. Poswillo. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1975.pp. x + 238. $35.50. Caffeine as an Environmental Mutagen and the Problem of Synergistic Effects. Proceedings of the Sym-
posium organized by Professor B. A. Kihlman at Sevenessayson the wide topic of mutagenesiscomthe 3rd Annual Meeting of the European Environplete this collection of papers.Mutagenic test systems mental Mutagen Society in Uppsala, Sweden, on ranging in complexity from bacteria to mammals are June 5th, 1973. Edited by B. A. Kihlman. Elsevier discussed,as is their tendency to produce conflicting Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1974. results. In the final analysis, these results have to be pp. 155. 512.30. interpreted in terms of the carcinogenic potential of European Pharmacopoeia. Vol. I. Published under the the mutagen, and one essayis devoted to this difficult direction of the Council of Europe (Partial Agreeextrapolation. The overwhelming consensus of ment). European Treaty Series No. 50. Maisonopinion expressedby the authors is that none of the neuve S.A., 1969, pp. 401, 130,OOF. fr.; Vol. II test.. systems (1971) pp. xxi + 542, 130,OOF. fr.; Vol. III (1975), ^ discussed can stand alone as a reliable mdicator of carcmogenic potential. It is clear that. pp. xxii + 464, 200.00 F. fr. vitro.
Book reviews Residue Reviews. Residues of Pesticides and Other Contaminants in the Total Environment. Vol. 55. Edited by F. A. Gunther. Springer-Verlag. Berlin. 1975. pp. vi + 1.52.DM 39.10. Residue Reviews. Residues of Pesticides and Other Contaminants in the Total Environment. Vol. 57. Edited by F. A. Gunther. Springer-Verlag. Berlin, 1975. pp. vi + 152. DM 39.10. Promoting Health in the Human Environment. Edited by E. E. Mcycr and P. Sainsbury. World Health
345
Organization. Geneva. 1975. pp. 69. SW. fr. IXO. Clinical Aspects of the Teratogenicity of Drugs By H. Nishimura and T. Tanimura. Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1976. pp. xii + 453. Dfl. 135.00. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man: Some Aziridines. N-. S- & O-Mustards and Selenium Vol. 9. Intemational Agency for Research on Cancer. Lyon, 1975. pp. 268. SW. fr. 27.00 (available in UK from HMSO).