Endocrine Methods

From The Critics

Reviewer: Janet Ash Tobian, MD, PhD(University of Chicago Medical Center)
Description: This book is a compilation of techniques that may be used by scientists in many fields, including endocrinology and toxicology, to study the action of various hormones. The techniques described range from the use of animal models to study endocrine control at the level of the whole animal to some that employ sophisticated molecular methods to study changes in gene expression.
Purpose: The purpose is to offer a wide spectrum of assays in several areas of hormone research that may be used to study various aspects of endocrine physiology, including perturbations caused by toxic agents. The result is a compilation of methods that are described in varying levels of detail by leading authorities in each field. The book is not a comprehensive collection of endocrine assays and methods but instead describes several different methods in detail, presumably as examples of specific methods that may be adapted to other systems.
Audience: The audience is biomedical scientists with special emphasis on techniques for the toxicologist. The depth and detail that each author uses in describing their assays varies greatly. Chapters such as the comprehensive introductory chapter and the chapter on measurement of thyroid hormone will be useful to a broad audience, including students, physicians, and scientists. In contrast, chapters that describe one specialized technique and in some cases include data derived by the author using the technique will be useful to a much narrower audience.
Features: This book features an introductory chapter followed by 17 chapters, each concentrating on a different technique applicable to a particular area. The amount and quality of illustrations varies from those with color photographs or detailed useful illustrations to those that have no illustrations. In addition, the depth and detail of description of the particular method(s) varies from a relatively general overview in some cases to a detailed outline of experimental methods in others.
Assessment: The number of methods covered in this book is very good, although the variability of depth and detail in presentation of the various methods makes it difficult to determine the appropriate audience. It probably will be most appropriate as a reference for those interested in a particular method or area of investigation included in the book. However, the excellent general overview of assay techniques included in the introductory chapter along with the specific illustrations of some of these assays in the following chapters could make it useful to students and scientists interested in a broader overview.

Janet Ash Tobian

This book is a compilation of techniques that may be used by scientists in many fields, including endocrinology and toxicology, to study the action of various hormones. The techniques described range from the use of animal models to study endocrine control at the level of the whole animal to some that employ sophisticated molecular methods to study changes in gene expression. "The purpose is to offer a wide spectrum of assays in several areas of hormone research that may be used to study various aspects of endocrine physiology, including perturbations caused by toxic agents. The result is a compilation of methods that are described in varying levels of detail by leading authorities in each field. The book is not a comprehensive collection of endocrine assays and methods but instead describes several different methods in detail, presumably as examples of specific methods that may be adapted to other systems. "The audience is biomedical scientists with special emphasis on techniques for the toxicologist. The depth and detail that each author uses in describing their assays varies greatly. Chapters such as the comprehensive introductory chapter and the chapter on measurement of thyroid hormone will be useful to a broad audience, including students, physicians, and scientists. In contrast, chapters that describe one specialized technique and in some cases include data derived by the author using the technique will be useful to a much narrower audience. "This book features an introductory chapter followed by 17 chapters, each concentrating on a different technique applicable to a particular area. The amount and quality of illustrations varies from those with color photographs ordetailed useful illustrations to those that have no illustrations. In addition, the depth and detail of description of the particular method(s) varies from a relatively general overview in some cases to a detailed outline of experimental methods in others. "The number of methods covered in this book is very good, although the variability of depth and detail in presentation of the various methods makes it difficult to determine the appropriate audience. It probably will be most appropriate as a reference for those interested in a particular method or area of investigation included in the book. However, the excellent general overview of assay techniques included in the introductory chapter along with the specific illustrations of some of these assays in the following chapters could make it useful to students and scientists interested in a broader overview.

Booknews

An endocrine methodology reference providing descriptions of procedures for the the study of the endocrine system and target organs featuring in vivo and in vitro systems for several areas of hormone research. Other topics include assay techniques for toxicologists, experiments in longitudinal bone growth, steroid receptor binding to DNA measurement, prolactin secretion from single cells, the application of fluorescence techniques to bone biology, chromatographic methods for analyzing B-endorphin, and the use of transfection techniques for studying dopamine receptor function. Includes illustrations and photographs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

3 Stars from Doody