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Vascular innervation and receptor mechanisms
~,~
Ion Channels - 3 edited by T. Narahashi, Plenum Press, 1992. $75.00 (xv + 350 pages) ISBN 0 306 44166 7
This book is comprised of a collection of detailed reviews of diverse topics, ranging from the mechanisms of epileptogenesis to neurogenetic studies of ion channels in fruit flies, and for anyone looking for such information, these reviews are topical and written by genuine experts in each particular area, due no doubt to the Editorial Board, which consists of some of the most prominent members of the ion channel fraternity. Seven of the ten chapters in this particular volume cover the regulation or function of ion channels in CNS tissues, and this book is likely to contain something of interest to many readers of TINS. Two chapters cover the topic of intracellular and pharmacological regulation of GABA receptor channels. Three chapters detail the role of ion channels in neuronal differentiation, memory storage and presynaptic plasticity in epileptogenesis. The involvement of ion channels in long-term cellular regulation is frequently ignored by researchers in favor of observing events taking place over milliseconds. A chapter on
Vascular Innervation and Receptor Mechanisms edited by Lars Edvinson and Rolf Uddman, Academic Press, 1993. £70.00 (xxi + 475 pages) ISBN 0 12 232350 5
This book concentrates on the identities of transmitters (and putative transmitters) released by perivascular nerves and of locally released factors, and the actions of these molecules on the vasculature. An up-to-date account is provided; however, there is a notable absence of any discussion of nitric oxide as a neurotransmitter. Perhaps the planning and execution of the book preceded the huge upsurge of interest in neural nitric oxide. An emphasis on neuropeptides is evident TINS, VoL 16, No. 8, 1993
,~,~,,,~, .............. ~ii~iiii'~i~,~i~iii'!ili~!!i%~i~,,,,5~ ¸
by Hille (Ionic Channels o f Excitable Membranes, Sinauer, 1984), consideration to the regulation of provide comprehensive and very ion channel gene expression, and readable treatments of the highlights the appeal of the practice and results of ion channel Drosophila system as one in research, respectively, and are which problems ranging from the genuinely useful references for molecular regulation of genes en- experts and non-experts alike. coding ion channels to the be- Conversely, for the researcher havioral consequences of channel already in the field, there are expression can be studied in a no books or annual publications given over to up-to-date presentsingle organism. The last sentence of the Editor's ations of ion channel research. preface to this volume expresses a The present series provides dehope that 'this book will serve as tailed reviews of specific areas, a useful reference, not only for although some chapters are experts in the field, but also for specifically laid out in the format those who wish to obtain up- of research papers and are largely dated knowledge in the area of limited to the authors' own reion channels'. It would seem that search. These chapters are less the latter could only be a subset useful, being little more than of the former, since the contri- vehicles for the authors to patch butions to this book and the together a few of their original preceding two volumes are, in all research papers. However, the cases, specialized reviews of best chapters do provide comprerelatively narrow subjects. The hensive reviews of specific topics. format in each volume is a series Some chapters very successfully of chapters that are mostly inde- present timely and well-conpendent, and even the. three sidered reviews of the given area. In bridging the gap between volumes combined can not comprehensively cover the whole the textbooks named above and field of ion channel research. original research articles, NaraThus, these books do not provide hashi's series, devoted to ion the coherence that a non-expert channels, thus fills an important would need in order to gain a niche. Given the emphasis on general understanding of the CNS ion channels in this volume, field. Excellent books by Sakmann it can be recommended to readers and Neher (Single-Channel Re- seeking current reviews of the cording, Plenum Press, 1983), and selected areas. neurogenetic studies of Drosophila ion channels, further extends
throughout the book; the estab- is surprising in view of current lished amine transmitters, nor- therapeutic interests, particularly adrenaline and acetylcholine, with the recent clinical availability attract much less attention. Evi- of the migraine-relieving drug, dence for a role of ATP as a sumatriptan. Nevertheless, what primary transmitter at sym- the book does present, it presents pathetic neurovascular junctions well. Four chapters, and over 100 is also reviewed. Some areas that a potential purchaser might have pages, deal with the roles and expected to be addressed in actions of endothelial and other detail, including the electro- locally derived factors. This prophysiology of transmission, the vides informed and critical disdifferences in views concerning cussion of the role of nitric oxide the ultrastructural identification of endothelial origin. It is made of the vascular neuromuscular clear that nitric oxide is the major junction, and the events occur- relaxing factor derived from the ring beyond the receptor (i.e. endothelium, but that it might second messengers, calcium not be the only one. The importmobilization and ion channels), ance of interactions between are covered only slightly, if at all. humoral factors, and between There is also little on the import- humoral factors and neurotransant vasoactive amine 5-hydroxy- mitters is emphasized. There is an tryptamine and its receptors. This overall impression that significant
Cofin G. Nichols
Deptof CellBiolo~ andPhysiology, Washington UniversitySchoolof Medicine,660South EudidAve, StLouis, MO 63110,USA.
John B. Furness
OeptofAnatomyand CellBiology, Universityof Melbourne,Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia.
337
progress is being made and of hope that the major determinants of vascular reactivity have at last been identified. Three short chapters form a group on the sympathetic innervation of vessels. They emphasize the actions and interactions of neuropeptide Y and ATP as cotransmitters with noradrenaline in vasoconstrictor neurons. The brevity of these chapters precludes their being quite adequate. Important work on the receptor types and the roles of catecholamines is overlooked in the excitement aroused by peptides and ATP. In fact, ocand 13receptors are not even in the index, although there is reference to prejunctional catecholamine receptors. Perhaps the creators of this book had a collective amnesia concerning the effects of drugs that act on receptors for catecholamines in the circulation. Parasympathetic innervation is dealt with in two short chapters, but, in this case, the elder statesman of parasympathetic transmission, acetylcholine, is discussed. The distribution and pharmacology of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and related peptides in parasympathetic neurons is summarized, and information is presented on the newly discovered neurovascular peptide, pituitary adenylyl-cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP). Current knowledge of the structure of sensory nerve endings innervating the vasculature and of their peripherally released transmitters is specifically covered in three chapters. These include good reviews of the receptor pharmacology of calcitonin generelated peptide (CGRP) and the tachykinins. Two other chapters also deal with sensory nerve endings: one on the relation between endothelial factors, inflammatory mediators and sensory neurotransmitters; the other on sensory peptides in the splanchnic circulation. The latter chapter includes an account of the role of CGRP, released from afferent endings, in dilating gastric blood vessels and protecting the gastric mucosa from ulceration. Naturally, it is our hope that some therapeutic advantage will 338
be gained from research on the peptides of perivascular nerves, and four chapters are devoted more or less to this theme, with emphasis on coronary vascular disorders, subarachnoid haemorrhage and cluster headache. It is fair to say that some changes in peptide levels are associated with the pathologies, and effects that give hints to useful outcomes exist. However, as yet we have no therapy that is of great use. The last two chapters give effective summaries of the presence and actions of peptides and other transmitters in nerves of the vasculature of specific regions,
the respiratory tract and the gastrointestinal tract. Overall, the book provides an excellent up-to-date account of peptides in peripheral vascular nerves and of local factors, particularly those from the endothelium, that are implicated in vascular control. All chapters are well written, the book is well set out, and it is generally well illustrated. The book will be of use to specialists in the area and to more general readers who would like a current overview of the field. There is sufficient coverage of the literature to maintain this as a useful reference for several years.
Book in Brief
biological and imaging techniques); 'Brain Maturation and Cognition' (everything from binocular vision to the object concept and memory systems); three sections on brain plasticity (one on different types of environmental input, one related to cognition and language, and one on constraints within learning and memory); and a section on selforganization. The last section (100 pages) consists of chapters written specially for this book and contains more speculative comments on developmental connectionism (Bates and Elman), the developmental neural basis of linguistics and spatial cognition (Stiles and Thai), memory (Janowsky), laterality (McManus and Bryden) and cortical plasticity (Johnson). Although sometimes readers may h a v e difficulty understanding the overall organization, which brings together some topics and separates others, virtually everyone will find something new and fascinating if they dip into these 700 pages. In summary, this collection is good value for money and an interesting reference source.
Brain Development and Cognition" A Reader edited by Mark H. Johnson, Blackwell Publishers, 1993. £19.99 (xi + 734 pages) ISBN 0 631 18223 3
In any attempt to cover a vast area like Brain Development and Cognition, the title of this set of readings, there is bound to be some egocentricity and idiosyncrasy. However, Mark Johnson has managed to include not only landmark papers by Lorenz, Piaget and Lenneberg, but also many up-to-date reviews, ranging from Rakic on models of neocortical ontogeny, to Chugani on positron emission tomography studies of the developing brain, to Thelan and Karmiloff-Smith on self-organizational principles. The collection should prove a useful reference source for both graduate students and researchers in developmental neuroscience and psychology, but should also be of interest to many scientists working outside the area of human development. The collection is held together well by a brief introduction by Johnson to each of the seven sections. These Janette Atkinson sections are: 'Perspectives on Visual DevelopmentUnit, Universityof CamDevelopment' (the nature- bridge, Camb#dge,UK CB2 1QA. nurture debate revisited with a particularly good set of arguBecome part of a Trend: ments by Oyama); 'Brain Maturation' (common principles of subscribe to TINS! brain development from neuroTINS, Vol. 16, No. 8, 1993
Ion Channels - 3 edited by T. Narahashi, Plenum Press, 1992. $75.00 (xv + 350 pages) ISBN 0 306 44166 7
This book is comprised of a collection of detailed reviews of diverse topics, ranging from the mechanisms of epileptogenesis to neurogenetic studies of ion channels in fruit flies, and for anyone looking for such information, these reviews are topical and written by genuine experts in each particular area, due no doubt to the Editorial Board, which consists of some of the most prominent members of the ion channel fraternity. Seven of the ten chapters in this particular volume cover the regulation or function of ion channels in CNS tissues, and this book is likely to contain something of interest to many readers of TINS. Two chapters cover the topic of intracellular and pharmacological regulation of GABA receptor channels. Three chapters detail the role of ion channels in neuronal differentiation, memory storage and presynaptic plasticity in epileptogenesis. The involvement of ion channels in long-term cellular regulation is frequently ignored by researchers in favor of observing events taking place over milliseconds. A chapter on
Vascular Innervation and Receptor Mechanisms edited by Lars Edvinson and Rolf Uddman, Academic Press, 1993. £70.00 (xxi + 475 pages) ISBN 0 12 232350 5
This book concentrates on the identities of transmitters (and putative transmitters) released by perivascular nerves and of locally released factors, and the actions of these molecules on the vasculature. An up-to-date account is provided; however, there is a notable absence of any discussion of nitric oxide as a neurotransmitter. Perhaps the planning and execution of the book preceded the huge upsurge of interest in neural nitric oxide. An emphasis on neuropeptides is evident TINS, VoL 16, No. 8, 1993
,~,~,,,~, .............. ~ii~iiii'~i~,~i~iii'!ili~!!i%~i~,,,,5~ ¸
by Hille (Ionic Channels o f Excitable Membranes, Sinauer, 1984), consideration to the regulation of provide comprehensive and very ion channel gene expression, and readable treatments of the highlights the appeal of the practice and results of ion channel Drosophila system as one in research, respectively, and are which problems ranging from the genuinely useful references for molecular regulation of genes en- experts and non-experts alike. coding ion channels to the be- Conversely, for the researcher havioral consequences of channel already in the field, there are expression can be studied in a no books or annual publications given over to up-to-date presentsingle organism. The last sentence of the Editor's ations of ion channel research. preface to this volume expresses a The present series provides dehope that 'this book will serve as tailed reviews of specific areas, a useful reference, not only for although some chapters are experts in the field, but also for specifically laid out in the format those who wish to obtain up- of research papers and are largely dated knowledge in the area of limited to the authors' own reion channels'. It would seem that search. These chapters are less the latter could only be a subset useful, being little more than of the former, since the contri- vehicles for the authors to patch butions to this book and the together a few of their original preceding two volumes are, in all research papers. However, the cases, specialized reviews of best chapters do provide comprerelatively narrow subjects. The hensive reviews of specific topics. format in each volume is a series Some chapters very successfully of chapters that are mostly inde- present timely and well-conpendent, and even the. three sidered reviews of the given area. In bridging the gap between volumes combined can not comprehensively cover the whole the textbooks named above and field of ion channel research. original research articles, NaraThus, these books do not provide hashi's series, devoted to ion the coherence that a non-expert channels, thus fills an important would need in order to gain a niche. Given the emphasis on general understanding of the CNS ion channels in this volume, field. Excellent books by Sakmann it can be recommended to readers and Neher (Single-Channel Re- seeking current reviews of the cording, Plenum Press, 1983), and selected areas. neurogenetic studies of Drosophila ion channels, further extends
throughout the book; the estab- is surprising in view of current lished amine transmitters, nor- therapeutic interests, particularly adrenaline and acetylcholine, with the recent clinical availability attract much less attention. Evi- of the migraine-relieving drug, dence for a role of ATP as a sumatriptan. Nevertheless, what primary transmitter at sym- the book does present, it presents pathetic neurovascular junctions well. Four chapters, and over 100 is also reviewed. Some areas that a potential purchaser might have pages, deal with the roles and expected to be addressed in actions of endothelial and other detail, including the electro- locally derived factors. This prophysiology of transmission, the vides informed and critical disdifferences in views concerning cussion of the role of nitric oxide the ultrastructural identification of endothelial origin. It is made of the vascular neuromuscular clear that nitric oxide is the major junction, and the events occur- relaxing factor derived from the ring beyond the receptor (i.e. endothelium, but that it might second messengers, calcium not be the only one. The importmobilization and ion channels), ance of interactions between are covered only slightly, if at all. humoral factors, and between There is also little on the import- humoral factors and neurotransant vasoactive amine 5-hydroxy- mitters is emphasized. There is an tryptamine and its receptors. This overall impression that significant
Cofin G. Nichols
Deptof CellBiolo~ andPhysiology, Washington UniversitySchoolof Medicine,660South EudidAve, StLouis, MO 63110,USA.
John B. Furness
OeptofAnatomyand CellBiology, Universityof Melbourne,Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia.
337
progress is being made and of hope that the major determinants of vascular reactivity have at last been identified. Three short chapters form a group on the sympathetic innervation of vessels. They emphasize the actions and interactions of neuropeptide Y and ATP as cotransmitters with noradrenaline in vasoconstrictor neurons. The brevity of these chapters precludes their being quite adequate. Important work on the receptor types and the roles of catecholamines is overlooked in the excitement aroused by peptides and ATP. In fact, ocand 13receptors are not even in the index, although there is reference to prejunctional catecholamine receptors. Perhaps the creators of this book had a collective amnesia concerning the effects of drugs that act on receptors for catecholamines in the circulation. Parasympathetic innervation is dealt with in two short chapters, but, in this case, the elder statesman of parasympathetic transmission, acetylcholine, is discussed. The distribution and pharmacology of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and related peptides in parasympathetic neurons is summarized, and information is presented on the newly discovered neurovascular peptide, pituitary adenylyl-cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP). Current knowledge of the structure of sensory nerve endings innervating the vasculature and of their peripherally released transmitters is specifically covered in three chapters. These include good reviews of the receptor pharmacology of calcitonin generelated peptide (CGRP) and the tachykinins. Two other chapters also deal with sensory nerve endings: one on the relation between endothelial factors, inflammatory mediators and sensory neurotransmitters; the other on sensory peptides in the splanchnic circulation. The latter chapter includes an account of the role of CGRP, released from afferent endings, in dilating gastric blood vessels and protecting the gastric mucosa from ulceration. Naturally, it is our hope that some therapeutic advantage will 338
be gained from research on the peptides of perivascular nerves, and four chapters are devoted more or less to this theme, with emphasis on coronary vascular disorders, subarachnoid haemorrhage and cluster headache. It is fair to say that some changes in peptide levels are associated with the pathologies, and effects that give hints to useful outcomes exist. However, as yet we have no therapy that is of great use. The last two chapters give effective summaries of the presence and actions of peptides and other transmitters in nerves of the vasculature of specific regions,
the respiratory tract and the gastrointestinal tract. Overall, the book provides an excellent up-to-date account of peptides in peripheral vascular nerves and of local factors, particularly those from the endothelium, that are implicated in vascular control. All chapters are well written, the book is well set out, and it is generally well illustrated. The book will be of use to specialists in the area and to more general readers who would like a current overview of the field. There is sufficient coverage of the literature to maintain this as a useful reference for several years.
Book in Brief
biological and imaging techniques); 'Brain Maturation and Cognition' (everything from binocular vision to the object concept and memory systems); three sections on brain plasticity (one on different types of environmental input, one related to cognition and language, and one on constraints within learning and memory); and a section on selforganization. The last section (100 pages) consists of chapters written specially for this book and contains more speculative comments on developmental connectionism (Bates and Elman), the developmental neural basis of linguistics and spatial cognition (Stiles and Thai), memory (Janowsky), laterality (McManus and Bryden) and cortical plasticity (Johnson). Although sometimes readers may h a v e difficulty understanding the overall organization, which brings together some topics and separates others, virtually everyone will find something new and fascinating if they dip into these 700 pages. In summary, this collection is good value for money and an interesting reference source.
Brain Development and Cognition" A Reader edited by Mark H. Johnson, Blackwell Publishers, 1993. £19.99 (xi + 734 pages) ISBN 0 631 18223 3
In any attempt to cover a vast area like Brain Development and Cognition, the title of this set of readings, there is bound to be some egocentricity and idiosyncrasy. However, Mark Johnson has managed to include not only landmark papers by Lorenz, Piaget and Lenneberg, but also many up-to-date reviews, ranging from Rakic on models of neocortical ontogeny, to Chugani on positron emission tomography studies of the developing brain, to Thelan and Karmiloff-Smith on self-organizational principles. The collection should prove a useful reference source for both graduate students and researchers in developmental neuroscience and psychology, but should also be of interest to many scientists working outside the area of human development. The collection is held together well by a brief introduction by Johnson to each of the seven sections. These Janette Atkinson sections are: 'Perspectives on Visual DevelopmentUnit, Universityof CamDevelopment' (the nature- bridge, Camb#dge,UK CB2 1QA. nurture debate revisited with a particularly good set of arguBecome part of a Trend: ments by Oyama); 'Brain Maturation' (common principles of subscribe to TINS! brain development from neuroTINS, Vol. 16, No. 8, 1993