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The synthesis of prostaglandins
BIOCHEMICAL
Excitation Muscle Echted by R Elsener/Notih DFl 139 00
-
EDUCATION
Contraction
October 1978
Coupling
Casteels, T Godframd Holland (1977) 488
in Smooth
& J pp
C Ruegg $56.75 or
This excellent volume records the proceedings of two complementary symposia held III July 1977 The first meeting, m Louvam, concentrated on the biophyslcal aspects of smooth muscle v&h a senes of stimulating papers on electron phynology, rmcroscopy, voltage clamp expenments, and the movement of calcium ions between a vanety of subcellular structures The second meetmg, which followed lmmedlately m Heidelberg, was devoted largely to the biochemistry of smooth muscle contractie proteins, cychc nucleotldes, protem phosphorylahon and contraction energetics Those of us who must teach aspects of muscle blchhenustry to fmal-year undergraduates could not wish for a better descnptlon of the ‘state of the art’ in a rapidly expandmg area of current research The long 11st of dishnguished participants, the uniformly high standard of presentation, and the breadth of topics covered wdl also make this a most useful volume for many research workers with an Interest m muscle physiology and bmchemlstry Despite the obviously hnuted opportunities for dIscussIon of both smooth muscle pharmacology and Its physiological roles m the Intact ammal, several contributors consider the biochemical rhfferences between different types of smooth muscle cell, while other authors fmd hme to compare the blochern&y of smooth and stnated muscle tissue There 1s no index, however after each group of papers a brief discussion and review wntten by a leading authority m the field serves collate and cross-reference much of the preceding matenal Many of the contnbubons are skllfully illustrated, the electron rmcrographs are clearly reproduced, and the overall standard of produchon 1s very high John Ilhngworth
Tocopherol, Oxygen and Biomembranes Edited by C de Duve and 0 Hayalshl. Pp 374 Elsevler/ North Holland Blomedlcal Press, Amsterdam and New York, 1978 $46 75 or Dfl 107 00 Tlus book consists
of the 28 papers presented at a symposmm held III September 1977 m Japan, the purpose of which was to reV,ew critIcally what IS known about the bmchemlstry and biological function of tocopherol with special emphasis on Its role m oxygen metabohsm and membrane function A wide range of topics IS &cussed though the articles fall mto three broad categories. chermcal, blochernlcal and chmcal studies The chemical studies are pnmanly concerned W&I the mterachon of tocopherol with oxygen, whereas the blochenncal studies compnse the effect of tocopherol on membranes, such as those of erytbrocytes, rrucrosomes, platelets and of phosphohpld model membranes, and upon the metabolism of prostaglandms, steroids and hplds The chmcal studies consider the mvolvement of tocopherol m stress and stroke and the beneficial effects of tocopherol treatment of patients with atherosclerosis of leg arteries In his closmg remarks to the symposium Professor de Duve bnefly summanses the subJects discussed He hkens this collection of papers to a detectwe story with three characters, tocopherol. oxygen and membranes and 28 detechves, a detechve story that IS far from completely solved Most of the articles contam detaded experimental sectlons so that the general aspects of the SubJects are not as fully chscussed as the size of the book (372 pages) rmght suggest This, together with the absence of a substantial review to Introduce and balance the detailed papers makes the book unsuitable for undergraduates However, It provides an excellent background for research students m this field, although 1 hope that they dIscover the mcorrect structures for arachldomc actd and PGH, that appear on p 180 D Fisher Department of Bmchermstry Royal Free Hospital School of Medicme 8 Hunter Street, London, U K
Vol. 6
No. 4
The Synthesis of Prostagiandins By AbhiJit Mltra. Pp. 444. John Wiley and Sons, New York and London, 1977 E16.90 or $28 60 As announced m the title, this book LS addressed to experts m synthesis, m particular in total synthesis of prostaglandms Thus, It does not provide background mformatlon about the biology, biochemistry, pharmacology and analytical methods used In the prostaglandm field It IS a comprehenswe review of the total synthetic work III the prostaglandm area The book IS up-to-date and even mentions a synthesis of PGX (pp 127,128) An origmal feature of tlus book m the presentation of structural formulas is the use of the retrosynthetic approach to synthesis design In general, schemes are clear, with a few exceptions However, the telegraphic style 1s hermetic to non-speclahsts The absedce of text and chscusslon about the choice of reagents makes this book only useful to experts in the synthesis of prostaglandms One wdl certamly regret that there 15 no mention of the chenustry of PGAZ isolated from the marine corals The coral 1s the most abundant source of natural prostaglandm and a detailed methodology has been developed from PGAz. for the synthesis of both natural prostaglanchns as welJ as numerous morhfled analogues The fast pubhcahon led to a great number of typographlcal errors, incomplete references, rmsspelled names, no accent or nnhal on authors names, etc There are also numerous unexphcable ormssions (for example, there IS no menhon of &her the syntheses of hydroxylated prostanoids at positions 10, 13, 16 and 19, or prostancuds contammg an aromatlc group on the lower cham, leadmg to one of the few molecules of commercial Importance, ) The absence of numbenng leads to numerous repetitions etc of formulas Rnally, the pnce of the book 1s relatively iugh for a compencbum of reaction schemes, although well presented This book constitutes a useful source of references and mformation for the specmbstr m the total synthesis of prostaglanchns, but It will be of limited value for mveshgators m other areas Pierre Crabbe Laboratolre de Chume Orgamque Umverrlt& Scienhhque et Mtchcale CERMO Grenoble 38041. France
Insect Biochemistry By H H Rees. Outline Studies m Biology, edlted by J. H. Ashworth Chapman and Hall, London, 1977 Pp 64 Paperback El 50.
Insect Biochemistry and Function Edited by D. J. Candy and B. A Kllby Chapman Hall, London, 1975. Pp 326 Paperback, fi 95
and
The first book 1s mtended for senior undergraduates and graduates who want a concise account of some chstmctlve features of Insect bmchenustry It deals largely with metabohsm, hormones and pheromones, smce their study In insects can throw a revealing hght on basic tuochemical mechanisms such as that of mitechondnal oxidation or the mode of action of steroid hormones A readable and up-to-date account which 1s adnurably suIted for gwmg an mtroduchon to some fascmatmg aspects of insect bmchenustry References are given and suggestIons for further readmg Warmly recommended The second book contams four review essays The Utlllsation of fuels by insect muscle (B Sacktor). Fuel supply (E Badey). Excretion m Insects (D G Cochran) and Synaptic transmission m msects (G G Lunt) Many references given Ongmally published m hardback III 1975 and now reissued m paperback format
Excitation Muscle Echted by R Elsener/Notih DFl 139 00
-
EDUCATION
Contraction
October 1978
Coupling
Casteels, T Godframd Holland (1977) 488
in Smooth
& J pp
C Ruegg $56.75 or
This excellent volume records the proceedings of two complementary symposia held III July 1977 The first meeting, m Louvam, concentrated on the biophyslcal aspects of smooth muscle v&h a senes of stimulating papers on electron phynology, rmcroscopy, voltage clamp expenments, and the movement of calcium ions between a vanety of subcellular structures The second meetmg, which followed lmmedlately m Heidelberg, was devoted largely to the biochemistry of smooth muscle contractie proteins, cychc nucleotldes, protem phosphorylahon and contraction energetics Those of us who must teach aspects of muscle blchhenustry to fmal-year undergraduates could not wish for a better descnptlon of the ‘state of the art’ in a rapidly expandmg area of current research The long 11st of dishnguished participants, the uniformly high standard of presentation, and the breadth of topics covered wdl also make this a most useful volume for many research workers with an Interest m muscle physiology and bmchemlstry Despite the obviously hnuted opportunities for dIscussIon of both smooth muscle pharmacology and Its physiological roles m the Intact ammal, several contributors consider the biochemical rhfferences between different types of smooth muscle cell, while other authors fmd hme to compare the blochern&y of smooth and stnated muscle tissue There 1s no index, however after each group of papers a brief discussion and review wntten by a leading authority m the field serves collate and cross-reference much of the preceding matenal Many of the contnbubons are skllfully illustrated, the electron rmcrographs are clearly reproduced, and the overall standard of produchon 1s very high John Ilhngworth
Tocopherol, Oxygen and Biomembranes Edited by C de Duve and 0 Hayalshl. Pp 374 Elsevler/ North Holland Blomedlcal Press, Amsterdam and New York, 1978 $46 75 or Dfl 107 00 Tlus book consists
of the 28 papers presented at a symposmm held III September 1977 m Japan, the purpose of which was to reV,ew critIcally what IS known about the bmchemlstry and biological function of tocopherol with special emphasis on Its role m oxygen metabohsm and membrane function A wide range of topics IS &cussed though the articles fall mto three broad categories. chermcal, blochernlcal and chmcal studies The chemical studies are pnmanly concerned W&I the mterachon of tocopherol with oxygen, whereas the blochenncal studies compnse the effect of tocopherol on membranes, such as those of erytbrocytes, rrucrosomes, platelets and of phosphohpld model membranes, and upon the metabolism of prostaglandms, steroids and hplds The chmcal studies consider the mvolvement of tocopherol m stress and stroke and the beneficial effects of tocopherol treatment of patients with atherosclerosis of leg arteries In his closmg remarks to the symposium Professor de Duve bnefly summanses the subJects discussed He hkens this collection of papers to a detectwe story with three characters, tocopherol. oxygen and membranes and 28 detechves, a detechve story that IS far from completely solved Most of the articles contam detaded experimental sectlons so that the general aspects of the SubJects are not as fully chscussed as the size of the book (372 pages) rmght suggest This, together with the absence of a substantial review to Introduce and balance the detailed papers makes the book unsuitable for undergraduates However, It provides an excellent background for research students m this field, although 1 hope that they dIscover the mcorrect structures for arachldomc actd and PGH, that appear on p 180 D Fisher Department of Bmchermstry Royal Free Hospital School of Medicme 8 Hunter Street, London, U K
Vol. 6
No. 4
The Synthesis of Prostagiandins By AbhiJit Mltra. Pp. 444. John Wiley and Sons, New York and London, 1977 E16.90 or $28 60 As announced m the title, this book LS addressed to experts m synthesis, m particular in total synthesis of prostaglandms Thus, It does not provide background mformatlon about the biology, biochemistry, pharmacology and analytical methods used In the prostaglandm field It IS a comprehenswe review of the total synthetic work III the prostaglandm area The book IS up-to-date and even mentions a synthesis of PGX (pp 127,128) An origmal feature of tlus book m the presentation of structural formulas is the use of the retrosynthetic approach to synthesis design In general, schemes are clear, with a few exceptions However, the telegraphic style 1s hermetic to non-speclahsts The absedce of text and chscusslon about the choice of reagents makes this book only useful to experts in the synthesis of prostaglandms One wdl certamly regret that there 15 no mention of the chenustry of PGAZ isolated from the marine corals The coral 1s the most abundant source of natural prostaglandm and a detailed methodology has been developed from PGAz. for the synthesis of both natural prostaglanchns as welJ as numerous morhfled analogues The fast pubhcahon led to a great number of typographlcal errors, incomplete references, rmsspelled names, no accent or nnhal on authors names, etc There are also numerous unexphcable ormssions (for example, there IS no menhon of &her the syntheses of hydroxylated prostanoids at positions 10, 13, 16 and 19, or prostancuds contammg an aromatlc group on the lower cham, leadmg to one of the few molecules of commercial Importance, ) The absence of numbenng leads to numerous repetitions etc of formulas Rnally, the pnce of the book 1s relatively iugh for a compencbum of reaction schemes, although well presented This book constitutes a useful source of references and mformation for the specmbstr m the total synthesis of prostaglanchns, but It will be of limited value for mveshgators m other areas Pierre Crabbe Laboratolre de Chume Orgamque Umverrlt& Scienhhque et Mtchcale CERMO Grenoble 38041. France
Insect Biochemistry By H H Rees. Outline Studies m Biology, edlted by J. H. Ashworth Chapman and Hall, London, 1977 Pp 64 Paperback El 50.
Insect Biochemistry and Function Edited by D. J. Candy and B. A Kllby Chapman Hall, London, 1975. Pp 326 Paperback, fi 95
and
The first book 1s mtended for senior undergraduates and graduates who want a concise account of some chstmctlve features of Insect bmchenustry It deals largely with metabohsm, hormones and pheromones, smce their study In insects can throw a revealing hght on basic tuochemical mechanisms such as that of mitechondnal oxidation or the mode of action of steroid hormones A readable and up-to-date account which 1s adnurably suIted for gwmg an mtroduchon to some fascmatmg aspects of insect bmchenustry References are given and suggestIons for further readmg Warmly recommended The second book contams four review essays The Utlllsation of fuels by insect muscle (B Sacktor). Fuel supply (E Badey). Excretion m Insects (D G Cochran) and Synaptic transmission m msects (G G Lunt) Many references given Ongmally published m hardback III 1975 and now reissued m paperback format