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Tissues and organs: a text atlas of scanning electron microscopy
Cell 1038
Failure of the Cycle Life Cycles: An Evolutionary Approach to the Physiology of Reproduction, Development and Ageing, by P. Calow. New York: John Wiley (Halsted). London: Chapman and Hall. 164 pp. $14.95.
The fragmentation of biology leads us to welcome attempts to synthesize, particularly when the audience in mind is as diverse as undergraduates, medical students and research investigators. Calow has tried to write a short book on “a general biology of the organism.” His theme is the life cycle, and he concentrates on growth, reproduction and aging. The book fails at three levels. First, it lacks balance. Second, it does not educate. Third, it is riddled with errors. The text opens with the idea of life as a cyclical process, introduces us to the ideas of genetic replication together with molecular and cellular organization, and continues with a consideration of energetics. Growth is then described at the cellular level and reproduction at the organismic level. The functions of sexual reproduction are discussed at some length, and a final section deals with theories of aging and the concept of rejuvenation. It is true that the text covers an enormous amount of ground in a short space, but the general strategy is to attempt a short introduction to a topic and then to concentrate on recent work by one or two experts in the field. Consequently, specialized topics are focused upon too rapidly, and we must indulge in the author’s idiosyncratic tastes. A typical example appears under the heading of Sexual Dimorphism, where we find only an inadequate summary of Maynard Smith’s ideas on parental investment, and even here the author does not elucidate the major theoretical approach of searching for an evolutionarily stable strategy. The author’s own work is given pride of place, particularly in the areas of energetic efficiency and aging, with nine pages of the book devoted to rejuvenation of triclads. The book fails to educate for several reasons. The expertise of the audience is not assessed, and almost every reader will become frustrated. We are expected to read elementary accounts of DNA structure, mitosis and meiosis, photosynthesis and respiration as reversed chemical reactions, and even generalized cell structure (all topics taught to school children), and yet we are expected to understand the meanings of “diploid”, “centromere”, “allosteric”, “mole equivalent”, “lodicule”, “palea” and “sexual selection” without explanation. Many recent research papers are inadequately summarized, and graphs and tables are reproduced which are incomprehensible without recourse to the original papers. Many examples could be given,
but a few will suffice. The transformation between ATP and ADP is explained and Atkinson’s energy change formula is given. That formula has AMP as a variable, but the chemical is not mentioned in the text. Bonner’s graph of the increase in the maximum size of organisms over time is reproduced without a labeled time scale. Treisman’s simulation of sexuality in a varying environment is shown in a table where different columns have the same headings, yet contain different numerical values. I have left until last that aspect of the book which will shock most readers. On the page opposite the introduction a list of errata is given. Thirty eight printing mistakes are acknowledged as the fault of the publisher. Lines of text have been omitted or duplicated, formulae are incorrect, words are misspelled, and print has been set in the wrong typeface. That, however, is not half of the story. There are at least that many errors again (and probably twice as many) that have gone unnoticed by the publisher. One is left wondering-quite what happened? This is potentially an interesting book. A more thoughtful approach by author and publisher could have saved the project. Distributing the manuscript to colleagues and referees would have been a beginning. The whole process was clearly rushed from start to finish. There can be no excuse. Paul H. Harvey Department of Biology Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts
Microscopic
02138
Sections
Tissues and Organs: a Text Atlas of Scanning Electron Microscopy, by R. G. Kessel and R. H. Kardon. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman. 325 pp. $30.00 cloth, $12.00 paper.
To look through the text-atlas of Kessel and Kardon is to realize that scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has come into its own as an essential part of the teaching of histology. Transmission electron micrographs began to appear in histology texts in the 1950s and have become so much a part of the modern histology text that student and teacher alike take the images for granted, seldom knowing or remembering that it was only 20 years ago that images of such quality began to emerge. High quality scanning electron micrographs can now be produced readily and the information contained in them adds another di-
Book 1039
Reviews
mension to microscopic anatomy. They give an appreciation of tissue architecture that no other technique can provide, and it was the enthusiasm of his students for this insight that persuaded Kessel to embark upon the production of this atlas. Most of the tissues and organs illustrated in the text were selected and prepared by the authors specifically for the atlas, and thus most of the 700 electron micrographs are original. Rats, rabbits and guinea pigs are used as a source of most of the material. The structure of the tissues and organs is exposed by cryofracture or by cutting or tearing the fixed tissue while in buffer or after dehydration and desiccation. In addition, in a truly innovative fashion, the authors treat the reader to views of the microvasculature of several organs which they have produced by photographing plastic replicas. All these techniques prove to be surprisingly successful in most cases. In fact, one of the interesting facets of reviewing the atlas has been the recognition of where the techniques have been useful and where they have failed to provide significant new insights. The atlas is divided into 16 sections. It is worthwhile to list them since this will give an idea of what the authors were able to look at: epithelium; connective tissue; skeletal tissue; circulating blood, blood vessels and bone marrow; lymphoid organs; nervous tissue; striated muscle; integumentary system; digestive system; glands of digestion; respiratory system; urinary system; thyroid gland; adrenal gland; male reproductive system; female reproductive system. At the beginning of each section an introductory page or two of text outlines the structure and function of the tissues or organs to be studied in that section, followed by a series of pictures accompanied by explanatory text that frequently contains functional as well as morphological information. The authors have applied scanning electron microscopy at a range of magnification where it can be used to best advantage to show structure and structural relationships. Transmission electron micrographs, light micrographs and diagrams are also included where necessary to augment the description and to integrate the scanning images with classical histology. Where the atlas succeeds best is in the presentation of views of surfaces of various cell types in different loci; in the treatment of the eye, lung and kidney; and in all the casts of the microvasculature. All the types of epithelia are clearly illustrated, as are the circulating and fixed leukocytes. In depicting the specialization of the anatomy of blood vessels, the atlas is spectacular. One sees inside the vessels supplying connective tissue and bone marrow and can compare their anatomy with the porous structure of the renal glomerular capillaries and the liver sinusoids. To see in three dimensions the organizational and surface specialization of the cells of the sensory organs such as the olfactory epithelium or the Organ of Corti is to gain a clearer understanding of their function. There is simply
no getting around the fact that a scanning electron micrograph of a taste bud provides instant appreciation of its structure and its relationship to the papillae of the tongue that no other technique can match. The same is true of the eye, lung and kidney. The atlas is extremely useful in describing these organs at all levels of organization and, justifiably, a fifth of the entire book is devoted to them. The male and female genital systems also gain by being presented in three dimensions. Other tissues fail to come off quite so well, such as striated and smooth muscle, liver, gall bladder and pancreas, which-except for the microvascular casts -are not appreciably better understood after scrutiny in the SEM. The intestine of the rat lacks the plicae circulares that characterize the human intestine and medical students may find this a bit disconcerting. There are also some omissions; brain, salivary gland, teeth and nails are not illustrated. Three appendices are provided at the end of the book. Appendix A shows views of cells that have been broken open and ion-etched to expose the organelles and membranes. These pictures, taken by Japanese investigators, show the usefulness of higher resolution of the scanning electron microscope in providing an understanding of the structure of cells. Appendix 6 is a diagram and discussion of junctional complexes, also borrowed from another source. Appendix C gives an outline of the techniques used to prepare specimens for the atlas. A bibliography for each chapter and an index complete the book. The paper-bound volume is well put together, and at $12.00 it is the bargain of the year. The atlas is a success because the authors make use of the SEM and ancillary preparative techniques to study tissues and organs at modest magnifications. They have emphasized architectural relationships and surface specializations of cells but have not pressed beyond that. For this reason the obvious errors in tissue preparation such as cracks, distortions or artifacts are not terribly important since they do not interfere with the stated purpose of the atlas. For the future, however, tissue preparation is all important. Scanning electron microscopy as a technique to study cell morphology is now at about the same stage of development as transmission electron microscopy was in the early 1950s and for the same reasoninstrument technology has advanced more rapidly than techniques for specimen preparation. New ways of treating specimens that will permit the exploitation of the resolving power of the SEM will be found and with them will come an explosion of information. Most certainly one of the first things to be scrutinized will be membranes. All facets of the fine structure of membranes will be explored from receptors to cell contacts to cell permeability to cell conductivity. No doubt, at this level of resolution, new discoveries of cell morphology will lead to a new understanding of
Cell 1040
cell function. The future should also see the coming of age of electron microprobe analysis, which will permit elemental analysis of, for example, the content of cell compartments or of the uriniferous tubules of the kidney. The scanning electron microscope will contribute enormously to the understanding of structural and biochemical relationships at the level of the cell and its organelles, much as this atlas has contributed to the understanding of tissues and organs. Emma Shelton The American Society for Cell Biology 4326 Montgomery Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20014
Books
Received
Brooker, G., Greengard, P. and Robison, G. A., eds. (1979). Advances in Cyclic Nucleotide Research, 10. Current Methodology. New York: Raven Press. 259 pp. $24.00. Publication date 5/79. Catsimpoolas, N., ed. (1979). Physical Aspects of Protein Interactions. Developments in Biochemistry, 3. New York, Amsterdam, Oxford: Elsevier/North-Holland. 307 pp. $45.00. Publication date l/ 79. Danielli, J. F. and DiBerardino, M. A., eds. (1979). International Review of Cytology, Supplement 9. Nuclear Transplantation. New York: Academic Press. 307 pp. $27.00. Publication date 5/79. Kisliuk, R. L. and Brown, G. M., eds. (1979). Chemistry and Biology of Pteridines. Developments in Biochemistry, 4. New York, Amsterdam, Oxford: Elsevier/North-Holland. 713 pp. $40.00. Publication date l/79. Pethig. R. (1979). Dielectric and Electronic Properties of Biological Materials. Chichester, New York, Brisbane, Toronto: John Wiley. 376 pp. $37.50. Publication date 4/79. Rose, N. R.. Bigazzi, P. Control of Autoimmune New York, Amsterdam, $50.00. Publication date
E. and Warner, N. L., eds. (1979). Genetic Disease. Developments in Immunology, 7. Oxford: Elsevier/North-Holland. 466 pp. l/79.
Subtelny. S. and Konigsberg. I. R.. eds. (1979). Determinants of Spatial Organization. 37th Symposium of the Society for Developmental Biology, Madison, June 14-16, 1978. New York: Academic Press. 333 pp. $24.00. Publication date 5/79.
Failure of the Cycle Life Cycles: An Evolutionary Approach to the Physiology of Reproduction, Development and Ageing, by P. Calow. New York: John Wiley (Halsted). London: Chapman and Hall. 164 pp. $14.95.
The fragmentation of biology leads us to welcome attempts to synthesize, particularly when the audience in mind is as diverse as undergraduates, medical students and research investigators. Calow has tried to write a short book on “a general biology of the organism.” His theme is the life cycle, and he concentrates on growth, reproduction and aging. The book fails at three levels. First, it lacks balance. Second, it does not educate. Third, it is riddled with errors. The text opens with the idea of life as a cyclical process, introduces us to the ideas of genetic replication together with molecular and cellular organization, and continues with a consideration of energetics. Growth is then described at the cellular level and reproduction at the organismic level. The functions of sexual reproduction are discussed at some length, and a final section deals with theories of aging and the concept of rejuvenation. It is true that the text covers an enormous amount of ground in a short space, but the general strategy is to attempt a short introduction to a topic and then to concentrate on recent work by one or two experts in the field. Consequently, specialized topics are focused upon too rapidly, and we must indulge in the author’s idiosyncratic tastes. A typical example appears under the heading of Sexual Dimorphism, where we find only an inadequate summary of Maynard Smith’s ideas on parental investment, and even here the author does not elucidate the major theoretical approach of searching for an evolutionarily stable strategy. The author’s own work is given pride of place, particularly in the areas of energetic efficiency and aging, with nine pages of the book devoted to rejuvenation of triclads. The book fails to educate for several reasons. The expertise of the audience is not assessed, and almost every reader will become frustrated. We are expected to read elementary accounts of DNA structure, mitosis and meiosis, photosynthesis and respiration as reversed chemical reactions, and even generalized cell structure (all topics taught to school children), and yet we are expected to understand the meanings of “diploid”, “centromere”, “allosteric”, “mole equivalent”, “lodicule”, “palea” and “sexual selection” without explanation. Many recent research papers are inadequately summarized, and graphs and tables are reproduced which are incomprehensible without recourse to the original papers. Many examples could be given,
but a few will suffice. The transformation between ATP and ADP is explained and Atkinson’s energy change formula is given. That formula has AMP as a variable, but the chemical is not mentioned in the text. Bonner’s graph of the increase in the maximum size of organisms over time is reproduced without a labeled time scale. Treisman’s simulation of sexuality in a varying environment is shown in a table where different columns have the same headings, yet contain different numerical values. I have left until last that aspect of the book which will shock most readers. On the page opposite the introduction a list of errata is given. Thirty eight printing mistakes are acknowledged as the fault of the publisher. Lines of text have been omitted or duplicated, formulae are incorrect, words are misspelled, and print has been set in the wrong typeface. That, however, is not half of the story. There are at least that many errors again (and probably twice as many) that have gone unnoticed by the publisher. One is left wondering-quite what happened? This is potentially an interesting book. A more thoughtful approach by author and publisher could have saved the project. Distributing the manuscript to colleagues and referees would have been a beginning. The whole process was clearly rushed from start to finish. There can be no excuse. Paul H. Harvey Department of Biology Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts
Microscopic
02138
Sections
Tissues and Organs: a Text Atlas of Scanning Electron Microscopy, by R. G. Kessel and R. H. Kardon. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman. 325 pp. $30.00 cloth, $12.00 paper.
To look through the text-atlas of Kessel and Kardon is to realize that scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has come into its own as an essential part of the teaching of histology. Transmission electron micrographs began to appear in histology texts in the 1950s and have become so much a part of the modern histology text that student and teacher alike take the images for granted, seldom knowing or remembering that it was only 20 years ago that images of such quality began to emerge. High quality scanning electron micrographs can now be produced readily and the information contained in them adds another di-
Book 1039
Reviews
mension to microscopic anatomy. They give an appreciation of tissue architecture that no other technique can provide, and it was the enthusiasm of his students for this insight that persuaded Kessel to embark upon the production of this atlas. Most of the tissues and organs illustrated in the text were selected and prepared by the authors specifically for the atlas, and thus most of the 700 electron micrographs are original. Rats, rabbits and guinea pigs are used as a source of most of the material. The structure of the tissues and organs is exposed by cryofracture or by cutting or tearing the fixed tissue while in buffer or after dehydration and desiccation. In addition, in a truly innovative fashion, the authors treat the reader to views of the microvasculature of several organs which they have produced by photographing plastic replicas. All these techniques prove to be surprisingly successful in most cases. In fact, one of the interesting facets of reviewing the atlas has been the recognition of where the techniques have been useful and where they have failed to provide significant new insights. The atlas is divided into 16 sections. It is worthwhile to list them since this will give an idea of what the authors were able to look at: epithelium; connective tissue; skeletal tissue; circulating blood, blood vessels and bone marrow; lymphoid organs; nervous tissue; striated muscle; integumentary system; digestive system; glands of digestion; respiratory system; urinary system; thyroid gland; adrenal gland; male reproductive system; female reproductive system. At the beginning of each section an introductory page or two of text outlines the structure and function of the tissues or organs to be studied in that section, followed by a series of pictures accompanied by explanatory text that frequently contains functional as well as morphological information. The authors have applied scanning electron microscopy at a range of magnification where it can be used to best advantage to show structure and structural relationships. Transmission electron micrographs, light micrographs and diagrams are also included where necessary to augment the description and to integrate the scanning images with classical histology. Where the atlas succeeds best is in the presentation of views of surfaces of various cell types in different loci; in the treatment of the eye, lung and kidney; and in all the casts of the microvasculature. All the types of epithelia are clearly illustrated, as are the circulating and fixed leukocytes. In depicting the specialization of the anatomy of blood vessels, the atlas is spectacular. One sees inside the vessels supplying connective tissue and bone marrow and can compare their anatomy with the porous structure of the renal glomerular capillaries and the liver sinusoids. To see in three dimensions the organizational and surface specialization of the cells of the sensory organs such as the olfactory epithelium or the Organ of Corti is to gain a clearer understanding of their function. There is simply
no getting around the fact that a scanning electron micrograph of a taste bud provides instant appreciation of its structure and its relationship to the papillae of the tongue that no other technique can match. The same is true of the eye, lung and kidney. The atlas is extremely useful in describing these organs at all levels of organization and, justifiably, a fifth of the entire book is devoted to them. The male and female genital systems also gain by being presented in three dimensions. Other tissues fail to come off quite so well, such as striated and smooth muscle, liver, gall bladder and pancreas, which-except for the microvascular casts -are not appreciably better understood after scrutiny in the SEM. The intestine of the rat lacks the plicae circulares that characterize the human intestine and medical students may find this a bit disconcerting. There are also some omissions; brain, salivary gland, teeth and nails are not illustrated. Three appendices are provided at the end of the book. Appendix A shows views of cells that have been broken open and ion-etched to expose the organelles and membranes. These pictures, taken by Japanese investigators, show the usefulness of higher resolution of the scanning electron microscope in providing an understanding of the structure of cells. Appendix 6 is a diagram and discussion of junctional complexes, also borrowed from another source. Appendix C gives an outline of the techniques used to prepare specimens for the atlas. A bibliography for each chapter and an index complete the book. The paper-bound volume is well put together, and at $12.00 it is the bargain of the year. The atlas is a success because the authors make use of the SEM and ancillary preparative techniques to study tissues and organs at modest magnifications. They have emphasized architectural relationships and surface specializations of cells but have not pressed beyond that. For this reason the obvious errors in tissue preparation such as cracks, distortions or artifacts are not terribly important since they do not interfere with the stated purpose of the atlas. For the future, however, tissue preparation is all important. Scanning electron microscopy as a technique to study cell morphology is now at about the same stage of development as transmission electron microscopy was in the early 1950s and for the same reasoninstrument technology has advanced more rapidly than techniques for specimen preparation. New ways of treating specimens that will permit the exploitation of the resolving power of the SEM will be found and with them will come an explosion of information. Most certainly one of the first things to be scrutinized will be membranes. All facets of the fine structure of membranes will be explored from receptors to cell contacts to cell permeability to cell conductivity. No doubt, at this level of resolution, new discoveries of cell morphology will lead to a new understanding of
Cell 1040
cell function. The future should also see the coming of age of electron microprobe analysis, which will permit elemental analysis of, for example, the content of cell compartments or of the uriniferous tubules of the kidney. The scanning electron microscope will contribute enormously to the understanding of structural and biochemical relationships at the level of the cell and its organelles, much as this atlas has contributed to the understanding of tissues and organs. Emma Shelton The American Society for Cell Biology 4326 Montgomery Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20014
Books
Received
Brooker, G., Greengard, P. and Robison, G. A., eds. (1979). Advances in Cyclic Nucleotide Research, 10. Current Methodology. New York: Raven Press. 259 pp. $24.00. Publication date 5/79. Catsimpoolas, N., ed. (1979). Physical Aspects of Protein Interactions. Developments in Biochemistry, 3. New York, Amsterdam, Oxford: Elsevier/North-Holland. 307 pp. $45.00. Publication date l/ 79. Danielli, J. F. and DiBerardino, M. A., eds. (1979). International Review of Cytology, Supplement 9. Nuclear Transplantation. New York: Academic Press. 307 pp. $27.00. Publication date 5/79. Kisliuk, R. L. and Brown, G. M., eds. (1979). Chemistry and Biology of Pteridines. Developments in Biochemistry, 4. New York, Amsterdam, Oxford: Elsevier/North-Holland. 713 pp. $40.00. Publication date l/79. Pethig. R. (1979). Dielectric and Electronic Properties of Biological Materials. Chichester, New York, Brisbane, Toronto: John Wiley. 376 pp. $37.50. Publication date 4/79. Rose, N. R.. Bigazzi, P. Control of Autoimmune New York, Amsterdam, $50.00. Publication date
E. and Warner, N. L., eds. (1979). Genetic Disease. Developments in Immunology, 7. Oxford: Elsevier/North-Holland. 466 pp. l/79.
Subtelny. S. and Konigsberg. I. R.. eds. (1979). Determinants of Spatial Organization. 37th Symposium of the Society for Developmental Biology, Madison, June 14-16, 1978. New York: Academic Press. 333 pp. $24.00. Publication date 5/79.