Neoglycoconjugates: Preparation and Applications

From The Critics

Reviewer: C. Harry Arsenis, PhD(Scholl Chicago Foot Health Centers)
Description: This book covers the preparations and applications of glycoconjugates in various fields of applied biology. An attempt is made to redefine some terms or modify some existing ones in order to classify these very important molecules. This book is unique in that it is the first to deal exclusively with this subject.
Purpose: Although not stated in the preface, the purpose of the book appears to be to describe the preparation of seminatural and nonnatural carbohydrate-containing substances similar to or analogous to those found in biomolecules and establish some applications. These molecules might help in biomedical research and drug design.
Audience: This book will be useful to organic chemists (particularly those working in the pharmaceutical industry), pharmacologists, immunologists, tumor experts, and other specialists who are involved in cellular communication and cellular differentiation. The authors and contributors are credible authorities in the subject.
Features: The book contains adequate pertinent references (latest 1991) with an adequate number of charts and figures. Although there is a need for a simple plain edition, this book might be more attractive and practical were there an explicit statement of goals in each chapter and a summary at the end of it.
Assessment: The subject matter is unique and quite interesting in view of the firmly entrenched opinion that cells communicate through molecules with a carbohydrate-attached part and express differentiation by a metabolism involving glycoconjugates. This book makes an attempt to put the synthesis and application of glycoconjugates together, but there is no integration among the different chapters, no clearly stated goals, and of course, no summary as to what each chapter is trying to accomplish. The book deals with a very important subject, but it would be better understood if there were better integration.

C. Harry Arsenis

This book covers the preparations and applications of glycoconjugates in various fields of applied biology. An attempt is made to redefine some terms or modify some existing ones in order to classify these very important molecules. This book is unique in that it is the first to deal exclusively with this subject. "Although not stated in the preface, the purpose of the book appears to be to describe the preparation of seminatural and nonnatural carbohydrate-containing substances similar to or analogous to those found in biomolecules and establish some applications. These molecules might help in biomedical research and drug design. "This book will be useful to organic chemists (particularly those working in the pharmaceutical industry), pharmacologists, immunologists, tumor experts, and other specialists who are involved in cellular communication and cellular differentiation. The authors and contributors are credible authorities in the subject. "The book contains adequate pertinent references (latest 1991) with an adequate number of charts and figures. Although there is a need for a simple plain edition, this book might be more attractive and practical were there an explicit statement of goals in each chapter and a summary at the end of it. "The subject matter is unique and quite interesting in view of the firmly entrenched opinion that cells communicate through molecules with a carbohydrate-attached part and express differentiation by a metabolism involving glycoconjugates. This book makes an attempt to put the synthesis and application of glycoconjugates together, but there is no integration among the different chapters, no clearly stated goals, and of course, no summary as to what eachchapter is trying to accomplish. The book deals with a very important subject, but it would be better understood if there were better integration.

Booknews

Presents 17 chapter-articles that encompass diverse areas of the subject of neoglycoconjugates. Among the topics: enhanced biochemical affinities of multivalent neoglycoconjugates; synthesis of neoglycoconjugates; glycopeptide synthesis; noncovalent neoglycoproteins; carbohydrate-containing polystyrenes; synthetic neoglycoconjugates as human vaccines; immobilized glycoconjugates for cell recognition studies; drug delivery systems using carbohydrate recognition; and delivery of polynucleotides to hepatocytes. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

3 Stars from Doody