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Frontiers in Excitatory Amino Research
372
Book Reviews
paper. Lazarovici et al. relate on the retrograde axional transport of tetanus toxin in the sciatic nerve and Critchley et al. focus on the uptake mechanisms of this toxin in neurons. Whereas this uptake was initially assumed to be dependent on m e m b r a n e gangliosides, experimental evidence is now presented in favor of a protein-mediated mechanism. In Part 3, the papers of Sullivan et al. and Reinhard et al. deal with the synthetic c o m p o u n d M P T P and parkinsonism. In fact, it is not M P T P itself, but its metabolite M P P + which is responsible for the selective destruction of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in certain species such as m a n and mouse but not in others such as the rat. The first paper describes the MAO-B-mediated transformation of M P T P into its active metabolite, a process that takes place outside the dopaminergic neurons. Using the bovine adrenomedullary chromafin cell as a model system, the second paper proposes that the uneven toxicity of M PP + for different cells might be related to its intracellular disposition rather than to its uptake. Although speculative, the studies on M P T P suggest that idiopathic Parkinson's disease may be related to the occurrence of endogenous toxins. Part 4 deals with toxins affecting ion channels. Much attention is devoted to a relatively new and very promising source of neurotoxins: the venoms from cone snails, a large family of gastropods living in tropical waters. In the opening paper, Gray discerns the presence of three types of toxins in the venom of C. geographus: ~t-conotoxins which interact with nicotinic receptors, ~-conotoxins which block voltageactivated Na + channels in muscle but not in brain and ~o-conotoxins which represent, up to now, the only effective tools to study voltage-activated Ca ~+ channels involved in neurosecretion, i.e. the Na + channels. These latter toxins are scrutinized in greater detail in the paper by Thayer et al. The second part of their paper is focused on the use of excitatory amino acids to investigate receptor-operated Ca 2+ channels. Part 4 is concluded by the paper of Seagar et al. on the use of apamin (a small peptide present in bee venom) to investigate calcium-activated K + channels. The last part of this book i's devoted to some newly discovered toxins. Odell et al. describe several spider venom toxins. Advances in micro-separation techniques will certainly increase the availability of such toxins to the neurochemist. Sevcik et al. indicate that sponges m a y contain planctonic toxins as well as some of their own. Lazarovici et al. report on the ability of pardaxin (a peptide present in the skin secretion of the Red Sea Moses sole) to stimulate the release ofneurotransmitters at the neuromuscular junction by forming voltage-gated pores in the membrane. Dajas et al. finally report on the anticholinesterase activity of fasciculins. Neurotoxins in Neurochemistry covers the essential aspects on this interesting and promising research area. The book is as valuable for people already in the field as for beginners possessing at least some basic knowledge of protein chemistry and neurochemistry.
rapidly expanding fields in neuroscience. It consists of the proceedings of an international symposium on Excitatory Amino Acids 1988 held in Brazil; such proceedings can be uneven in quality: the present volume is of a very high standard throughout. Although the meeting concentrated on the interface between basic research and potential clinical applications, it provides an invaluable source book for the latest advances in the basic research in this field. The papers are arranged in 12 separate sections. These include sections dealing with the biochemical and electrophysiological aspects of E A A action, modulators of N M D A receptors, the role of EAAs in learning and memory. These sections dealing with E A A receptors at the molecular level, are interspersed with ones on the potential therapeutic use of E A A antagonists in epilepsy, anxiety, spasticity and stroke. Intermediate between these molecular and clinical aspects are sections dealing with the role of EAAs in sensory and motor control. W h a t is striking is that the volume is concerned only with the postsynaptic effects of EAAs since it deals exclusively with E A A receptors, with the major emphasis on the N M D A subtype. The relative importance of the QA and K A receptors is very much less clear. Furthermore there is no mention of presynaptic glutamate receptors, particularly the presynaptic autoreceptors, whose function at present is very puzzling. The complete absence of papers dealing with E A A release is probably a reflection of the fact that measurement of such release under physiological conditions has proved extremely difficult. The volume is unusually successful in presenting a multidisciplinary approach to the role of EAAs. The review papers and those containing experimental results blend well. If one were to select the best a m o n g a collection of very high quality papers it would probably be the chapter on learning, memory and EAAs, which interestingly was also voted the best session by popular vote at the time of the conference. There is now extensive evidence which suggests a role for N M D A receptors in neuronal plasticity. This chapter consists of papers which provide supporting evidence from a variety of experimental approaches to this problem. The book will be of value to research workers in a wide variety of fields.
GEORGES VAUQUELIN Georges Vauquelin is at the Department o f Protein Chemistry, Free University o f Brussels (V.U.B.), Belgium.
An enormous a m o u n t of interest has been generated by the recent growth in new and very powerful brain imaging techniques. Examples of these include computerized axial tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy and positron emission tomography. This volume provides a good introduction for newcomers to certain aspects of this sometimes bewildering field. It comprises Volume 8 of the Neuromethods series established by H u m a n a Press several years ago, and is a welcome addition to the series.
Frontiers in Excitatory Amino Research (Neurology and Neurobiology, Volume 46). Edited by E. A. CAVALHEIRO,J. LEHMANN and L. TURSKI. Alan R. Liss, New York, 1988. Frontiers in Excitatory Amino Acid Research is true to its title and provides an up-to-date picture of one of the most
MARIANNE F1LLENZ Marianne Fillenz is a University Lecturer at the Laboratory o f Physiology, Parks Road, Oxford O X I 3PT, England.
Imaging and Correlative Physicochemical Techniques (Neuromethods, Volume 8). Edited by A. A. BOULTON, G. B. BAKER and D. P. J. BOISVERT. ISBN 0 89603 116 0. Price: $69.50 ($79.50 outside U.S.A.). H u m a n a Press, Clifton, N.J., 1988.
Book Reviews
paper. Lazarovici et al. relate on the retrograde axional transport of tetanus toxin in the sciatic nerve and Critchley et al. focus on the uptake mechanisms of this toxin in neurons. Whereas this uptake was initially assumed to be dependent on m e m b r a n e gangliosides, experimental evidence is now presented in favor of a protein-mediated mechanism. In Part 3, the papers of Sullivan et al. and Reinhard et al. deal with the synthetic c o m p o u n d M P T P and parkinsonism. In fact, it is not M P T P itself, but its metabolite M P P + which is responsible for the selective destruction of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in certain species such as m a n and mouse but not in others such as the rat. The first paper describes the MAO-B-mediated transformation of M P T P into its active metabolite, a process that takes place outside the dopaminergic neurons. Using the bovine adrenomedullary chromafin cell as a model system, the second paper proposes that the uneven toxicity of M PP + for different cells might be related to its intracellular disposition rather than to its uptake. Although speculative, the studies on M P T P suggest that idiopathic Parkinson's disease may be related to the occurrence of endogenous toxins. Part 4 deals with toxins affecting ion channels. Much attention is devoted to a relatively new and very promising source of neurotoxins: the venoms from cone snails, a large family of gastropods living in tropical waters. In the opening paper, Gray discerns the presence of three types of toxins in the venom of C. geographus: ~t-conotoxins which interact with nicotinic receptors, ~-conotoxins which block voltageactivated Na + channels in muscle but not in brain and ~o-conotoxins which represent, up to now, the only effective tools to study voltage-activated Ca ~+ channels involved in neurosecretion, i.e. the Na + channels. These latter toxins are scrutinized in greater detail in the paper by Thayer et al. The second part of their paper is focused on the use of excitatory amino acids to investigate receptor-operated Ca 2+ channels. Part 4 is concluded by the paper of Seagar et al. on the use of apamin (a small peptide present in bee venom) to investigate calcium-activated K + channels. The last part of this book i's devoted to some newly discovered toxins. Odell et al. describe several spider venom toxins. Advances in micro-separation techniques will certainly increase the availability of such toxins to the neurochemist. Sevcik et al. indicate that sponges m a y contain planctonic toxins as well as some of their own. Lazarovici et al. report on the ability of pardaxin (a peptide present in the skin secretion of the Red Sea Moses sole) to stimulate the release ofneurotransmitters at the neuromuscular junction by forming voltage-gated pores in the membrane. Dajas et al. finally report on the anticholinesterase activity of fasciculins. Neurotoxins in Neurochemistry covers the essential aspects on this interesting and promising research area. The book is as valuable for people already in the field as for beginners possessing at least some basic knowledge of protein chemistry and neurochemistry.
rapidly expanding fields in neuroscience. It consists of the proceedings of an international symposium on Excitatory Amino Acids 1988 held in Brazil; such proceedings can be uneven in quality: the present volume is of a very high standard throughout. Although the meeting concentrated on the interface between basic research and potential clinical applications, it provides an invaluable source book for the latest advances in the basic research in this field. The papers are arranged in 12 separate sections. These include sections dealing with the biochemical and electrophysiological aspects of E A A action, modulators of N M D A receptors, the role of EAAs in learning and memory. These sections dealing with E A A receptors at the molecular level, are interspersed with ones on the potential therapeutic use of E A A antagonists in epilepsy, anxiety, spasticity and stroke. Intermediate between these molecular and clinical aspects are sections dealing with the role of EAAs in sensory and motor control. W h a t is striking is that the volume is concerned only with the postsynaptic effects of EAAs since it deals exclusively with E A A receptors, with the major emphasis on the N M D A subtype. The relative importance of the QA and K A receptors is very much less clear. Furthermore there is no mention of presynaptic glutamate receptors, particularly the presynaptic autoreceptors, whose function at present is very puzzling. The complete absence of papers dealing with E A A release is probably a reflection of the fact that measurement of such release under physiological conditions has proved extremely difficult. The volume is unusually successful in presenting a multidisciplinary approach to the role of EAAs. The review papers and those containing experimental results blend well. If one were to select the best a m o n g a collection of very high quality papers it would probably be the chapter on learning, memory and EAAs, which interestingly was also voted the best session by popular vote at the time of the conference. There is now extensive evidence which suggests a role for N M D A receptors in neuronal plasticity. This chapter consists of papers which provide supporting evidence from a variety of experimental approaches to this problem. The book will be of value to research workers in a wide variety of fields.
GEORGES VAUQUELIN Georges Vauquelin is at the Department o f Protein Chemistry, Free University o f Brussels (V.U.B.), Belgium.
An enormous a m o u n t of interest has been generated by the recent growth in new and very powerful brain imaging techniques. Examples of these include computerized axial tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy and positron emission tomography. This volume provides a good introduction for newcomers to certain aspects of this sometimes bewildering field. It comprises Volume 8 of the Neuromethods series established by H u m a n a Press several years ago, and is a welcome addition to the series.
Frontiers in Excitatory Amino Research (Neurology and Neurobiology, Volume 46). Edited by E. A. CAVALHEIRO,J. LEHMANN and L. TURSKI. Alan R. Liss, New York, 1988. Frontiers in Excitatory Amino Acid Research is true to its title and provides an up-to-date picture of one of the most
MARIANNE F1LLENZ Marianne Fillenz is a University Lecturer at the Laboratory o f Physiology, Parks Road, Oxford O X I 3PT, England.
Imaging and Correlative Physicochemical Techniques (Neuromethods, Volume 8). Edited by A. A. BOULTON, G. B. BAKER and D. P. J. BOISVERT. ISBN 0 89603 116 0. Price: $69.50 ($79.50 outside U.S.A.). H u m a n a Press, Clifton, N.J., 1988.