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Book Review |
edited by Tom P. Fleming
Oxford University Press (2002) 268 pages. 0-19-963863-2 £35
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Ever since the pioneers of cell biology first used electron microscopy to reveal the structures that hold us together at the cellular level, cell biologists have recognized the important role that cell-cell interactions play in development and disease. This appreciation for structure forms the foundation of modern cell biology, and it has evolved into a broad effort to understand the mechanisms by which cell adhesion and communication are established and regulated. In Cell-Cell Interactions, Fleming has drawn on an international field of experts who have made major contributions to this important area of cell biology. The end result is an outstanding collection of protocols and approaches that could be a resource for any laboratory addressing questions that involve an assessment of cell-cell contact.
Cell-Cell Interactions is part of the `Practical Approach' series published by Oxford University Press. This series includes books that focus either on technical approaches, such as Epithelial Cell Culture, or on a particular subject area, such as The Cytoskeleton. In the preface to Cell-Cell Interactions, Fleming writes that the 10 chapters and 105 protocols are "written in sufficient detail for investigators of cell-cell interactions to follow and repeat for their own system." This somewhat lofty goal leads one to ask, who is this book for? Do you really need this kind of book if you are an expert in cell adhesion? And if not, would it really be possible to use this book to get started? We will return to these questions later.
The first chapters of the book focus on cell culture systems that are used to study keratinocyte and endothelial cell-cell adhesion. These are followed by chapters on leukocyte adhesive interactions, gap junctions and tight junctions. The book approaches the subject area in two ways: first, by examining different cell types that assemble functionally similar structures, and second, by examining different types of cell-cell interactions that assemble in various tissues. The duality of this organization is amplified by the dramatically different styles apparent in some of the chapters. This contrast is perhaps most obvious in the first few chapters, with a very brief but useful chapter on endothelial cells sandwiched between much more extensive chapters on keratinocytes and gap junctions. The second half of the book explores protocols that can be used to study interactions that occur in developmental or genetic models, including Drosophila, Xenopus and mammalian systems. Certainly, a novice would need help from a collaborator or consultant before using some of the model systems outlined in these sections. However, the inclusion of these chapters, and the emphasis on developmental model systems, provides the reader with an appreciation for the range of experimental approaches that can be undertaken to address questions involving cell contact.
By the end of the book, most of the key structures that assemble at cell interfaces are covered in detail except for the desmosome, which is only mentioned in passing. Overall, the quality of the writing, diagrams and photographs is excellent and most images are clear and well labeled. One notable exception is the color plates. In Chapter 4, the authors refer to their figure as Plate 1 but no page number for Plate 1 is given, and it is not until the middle of Chapter 6 that the color plate appears. In addition, the plates themselves lack references back to the chapter that discusses them, making the utility of the images questionable. However, most of the line drawings and models are exceptionally helpful, although additional diagrams of the various proteins and junctional complexes referred to in each chapter would be welcome, such as those provided by Gahmberg et al. on page 95. Also useful are the examples of real data that were generated using some of the protocols, such as immunofluorescence images, gels, immunoblots and graphs. These examples could prove invaluable for the newcomer attempting a protocol for the first time. For the adviser trying to convince a student that a particular protocol can in fact be done successfully, the examples provide direct evidence of feasibility.
In many ways, the approach that Fleming takes seems to lie at the junction between a review and a protocol. Most of the contributors do an excellent job of weaving together protocols with background information that provides context, allowing the reader to appreciate both the question and the method. Several authors, particularly Citi and Shepherd, do a wonderful job describing the kinds of biological problems that can be addressed with each protocol. I must admit that, while reviewing the volume, I found myself making notes of useful protocols and approaches — not for the purposes of this critique but for the people in my own lab! So, who is this book for? Clearly, it is an outstanding volume for the postdoc or graduate student setting out to tackle a sticky problem. And, maybe it is for the skeptical critic too, who answered his own question while writing this review.
Departments of Dermatology and Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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