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Histological Atlas of the Laboratory Mouse
Pathology (1983), 15, pp. 511-15
BOOK REVIEWS
Skeletal Muscle Pathology, Eds F. L. MASTACLIA& SIR JOHN WALTON. 1982. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh. Austr. Distr.: Longman Cheshire Group, Melbourne. 648 pp., illustrated. ISBN 0 443 02028 0. $126.00. Over the past decade there has been a rapidly expanding literature on the clinical and pathological features of muscle disease, with descriptions of several new conditions and the development of a better understanding of the underlying ultrastructural and biochemical changes. The present book, which is a superb, comprehensive, multi-authored compendium of all aspects of muscle pathology, gathers together all this information. The editors have succeeded in recruiting the services of most of the major workers in the field to contribute chapters and have achieved balance in style and content. There is an excellent introductory chapter on the normal morphology, development and innervation of skeletal muscle by David Landon which is illustrated with clear and helpful drawings and first-class electronmicrographs. M. J . Cullen and F. L. Mastaglia deal with the basic pathological reactions of skeletal muscle and the subsequent chapters address specific problems such as the congenital myopathies, neurogenic disorders, the muscular dystrophies, myotonic disorders, mitochondria1 myopathies, storage diseases, inflammatory, endocrine and toxic and drug induced myopathies, the neuromuscular junction, immunopathology, malignant hyperpyrexia, trauma and muscle tumours. There are also other interesting chapters on the muscle spindle, intramuscular nerves and nerve terminals, circulatory disorders and the effects of disuse, cachexia and ageing. A separate chapter on the technique of muscle biopsy and the technical aspects of preparation and staining of sections for light and electron microscopy would have been helpful. This is truly an outstanding volume which is beautifullyproduced and superbly Illustrated. It should be available in all hospital and university pathology departments, and is highly recommended to all those who have a clinical interest in muscle diseases and to those who have responsibility for reporting and interpreting muscle biopsies. J . G. McLeod
D. G u D ~GERALD , Histological Atlas ojthe Laboratory Mouse, WILLIAM
E. CROSGROVE & GERALD P. HIRSH. 1982.
Plenum Publ. Co., New York. illustrations. ISBN 0 306 40686 I . $30.00 approx.
149
pp.,
168
colour
This book provides a broad overview of the histological features of mouse tissues and organs. It would be a useful reference for research workers in fields in which only gross changes in morphology are being monitored for. Neither the illustrations nor the texts adequately illustrate cellular detail. Many of the illustrations are more attractive from an esthetic than an informative point of view. The visual impact of the atlas has been achieved by the use of a large number of special stains. The quality of the photomicrographs is variable. Some micrographs are out of focus and the colour balance is particularly uneven. The section on fixatives and staining methods is brief but contains enough detail for a trained technician to reproduce the methods. The atlas could be of value to any research worker who uses mice and has occasional need to look for obvious abnormalities in the tissues of experimental animals. S. Dorsch
A. AHERNE& MICHAEL S. DUNNILL. 1982. Morphornrtry, WILLIAM Edward Arnold, London. 205 pp., illustrated. ISBN 0 7131 4403 3. AS59.95. This book aims to explain the interpretation of microscopic and macroscopic appearances of tissue in quantitative terms in a manner requiring minimal knowledge of mathematics. The authors proceed through simple examples of determination of surface areas, volume fractions and enumeration of discrete components and of the concept of methodology based on probability considerations. Methods of deriving whole organ volumes are discussed and a chapter is devoted to principles of tissue preparation in relation to volume changes that may occur in processing. Methods for determining sample size for any given error are carefully described, and guidance is given as to the relative practical importance of various sources of errors. Point counting and linear intercept techniques and methods of counting discrete objects are dealt with in some detail, and throughout principles are well illustrated by worked examples. Finally the application of the techniques described to the estimation of myofibre size and studies of the central nervous system are discussed in separate chapters. In view of the large volume of work accumulating in bone histomorphometry a similar chapter on bone would have been a welcome addition. It is perhaps a pity that despite considerable recent advances in semiautomated and automated . morphometry, automation has been relegated to a brief Appendix. However, the authors have chosen to stress what can be achieved relatively cheaply and simply in a diagnostic department with a good microscope, eyepiece graticules and a tally counter. Particularly to anyone wishing to have some insight into the theoretical basis of this subject, the book provides a very useful introduction to morphometry. J . M . Xipell Bone Marrow Biopsies Revisited: A New Dimension f o r Hematologic Malignancies, R. BARTL,B. FRISCH& R. BURKHARDT. 1982. S. Karger, Basel. 94 pp., illustrated. ISBN 3 8055 3572 4. SRF. 58.-;DM 69.-; approx. US34.75. This is a small volume of 94 pages (including index). It reviews the experience and significance of bone marrow trephine biopsies in patients with hematological malignancies over the period of 1970-1979 from the City Centre Hospital, University of Munich. There are chapters covering Patients and Methods; Structure and Function of the Normal Bone Marrow; Myeloproliferative Disorders; Adult Acute Leukemia; Multiple Myeloma; Non Hodgkin’s Lymphomas; and Hodgkin’s Disease. Each chapter is set out systematically with a brief survey of the literature, the authors’ observations on their patients, and implications for medical practice (i.e. diagnostic and prognostic features). Professor Burkhardt and his colleagues have, over the years, perfected their techniques for preparing undecalcified plastic embedded sections of bone marrow cores, and for staining them to reveal cytological features in astonishing detail. The technique can be adapted for applying cytochemical reactions and in fresh frozen material for the immunological identification of specific cell constituents. The routine use of high quality trephine sections makes it possible to open up many fields of enquiry which simply could not be carried out at all on aspiration samples, or on inferior section material.
BOOK REVIEWS
Skeletal Muscle Pathology, Eds F. L. MASTACLIA& SIR JOHN WALTON. 1982. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh. Austr. Distr.: Longman Cheshire Group, Melbourne. 648 pp., illustrated. ISBN 0 443 02028 0. $126.00. Over the past decade there has been a rapidly expanding literature on the clinical and pathological features of muscle disease, with descriptions of several new conditions and the development of a better understanding of the underlying ultrastructural and biochemical changes. The present book, which is a superb, comprehensive, multi-authored compendium of all aspects of muscle pathology, gathers together all this information. The editors have succeeded in recruiting the services of most of the major workers in the field to contribute chapters and have achieved balance in style and content. There is an excellent introductory chapter on the normal morphology, development and innervation of skeletal muscle by David Landon which is illustrated with clear and helpful drawings and first-class electronmicrographs. M. J . Cullen and F. L. Mastaglia deal with the basic pathological reactions of skeletal muscle and the subsequent chapters address specific problems such as the congenital myopathies, neurogenic disorders, the muscular dystrophies, myotonic disorders, mitochondria1 myopathies, storage diseases, inflammatory, endocrine and toxic and drug induced myopathies, the neuromuscular junction, immunopathology, malignant hyperpyrexia, trauma and muscle tumours. There are also other interesting chapters on the muscle spindle, intramuscular nerves and nerve terminals, circulatory disorders and the effects of disuse, cachexia and ageing. A separate chapter on the technique of muscle biopsy and the technical aspects of preparation and staining of sections for light and electron microscopy would have been helpful. This is truly an outstanding volume which is beautifullyproduced and superbly Illustrated. It should be available in all hospital and university pathology departments, and is highly recommended to all those who have a clinical interest in muscle diseases and to those who have responsibility for reporting and interpreting muscle biopsies. J . G. McLeod
D. G u D ~GERALD , Histological Atlas ojthe Laboratory Mouse, WILLIAM
E. CROSGROVE & GERALD P. HIRSH. 1982.
Plenum Publ. Co., New York. illustrations. ISBN 0 306 40686 I . $30.00 approx.
149
pp.,
168
colour
This book provides a broad overview of the histological features of mouse tissues and organs. It would be a useful reference for research workers in fields in which only gross changes in morphology are being monitored for. Neither the illustrations nor the texts adequately illustrate cellular detail. Many of the illustrations are more attractive from an esthetic than an informative point of view. The visual impact of the atlas has been achieved by the use of a large number of special stains. The quality of the photomicrographs is variable. Some micrographs are out of focus and the colour balance is particularly uneven. The section on fixatives and staining methods is brief but contains enough detail for a trained technician to reproduce the methods. The atlas could be of value to any research worker who uses mice and has occasional need to look for obvious abnormalities in the tissues of experimental animals. S. Dorsch
A. AHERNE& MICHAEL S. DUNNILL. 1982. Morphornrtry, WILLIAM Edward Arnold, London. 205 pp., illustrated. ISBN 0 7131 4403 3. AS59.95. This book aims to explain the interpretation of microscopic and macroscopic appearances of tissue in quantitative terms in a manner requiring minimal knowledge of mathematics. The authors proceed through simple examples of determination of surface areas, volume fractions and enumeration of discrete components and of the concept of methodology based on probability considerations. Methods of deriving whole organ volumes are discussed and a chapter is devoted to principles of tissue preparation in relation to volume changes that may occur in processing. Methods for determining sample size for any given error are carefully described, and guidance is given as to the relative practical importance of various sources of errors. Point counting and linear intercept techniques and methods of counting discrete objects are dealt with in some detail, and throughout principles are well illustrated by worked examples. Finally the application of the techniques described to the estimation of myofibre size and studies of the central nervous system are discussed in separate chapters. In view of the large volume of work accumulating in bone histomorphometry a similar chapter on bone would have been a welcome addition. It is perhaps a pity that despite considerable recent advances in semiautomated and automated . morphometry, automation has been relegated to a brief Appendix. However, the authors have chosen to stress what can be achieved relatively cheaply and simply in a diagnostic department with a good microscope, eyepiece graticules and a tally counter. Particularly to anyone wishing to have some insight into the theoretical basis of this subject, the book provides a very useful introduction to morphometry. J . M . Xipell Bone Marrow Biopsies Revisited: A New Dimension f o r Hematologic Malignancies, R. BARTL,B. FRISCH& R. BURKHARDT. 1982. S. Karger, Basel. 94 pp., illustrated. ISBN 3 8055 3572 4. SRF. 58.-;DM 69.-; approx. US34.75. This is a small volume of 94 pages (including index). It reviews the experience and significance of bone marrow trephine biopsies in patients with hematological malignancies over the period of 1970-1979 from the City Centre Hospital, University of Munich. There are chapters covering Patients and Methods; Structure and Function of the Normal Bone Marrow; Myeloproliferative Disorders; Adult Acute Leukemia; Multiple Myeloma; Non Hodgkin’s Lymphomas; and Hodgkin’s Disease. Each chapter is set out systematically with a brief survey of the literature, the authors’ observations on their patients, and implications for medical practice (i.e. diagnostic and prognostic features). Professor Burkhardt and his colleagues have, over the years, perfected their techniques for preparing undecalcified plastic embedded sections of bone marrow cores, and for staining them to reveal cytological features in astonishing detail. The technique can be adapted for applying cytochemical reactions and in fresh frozen material for the immunological identification of specific cell constituents. The routine use of high quality trephine sections makes it possible to open up many fields of enquiry which simply could not be carried out at all on aspiration samples, or on inferior section material.