Synopsis
This is a comprehensive and definitive account of the human male gamete.
Doody Review Services
Reviewer:Anthony J Caruso, MD, MPH(University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine)
Description:This is an authoritative summary of the latest research on the male gamete. It is a well organized presentation of the current state of human sperm production, maturation, and function and how these parameters influence fertility.
Purpose:The purpose is to summarize the latest investigation of the human male gamete. As the first comprehensive volume on this subject in a decade, it is long overdue. The authors have gathered an august collection of contributors who elegantly detail the molecular and genetic characteristics of both the competent and dysfunctional sperm genome complex.
Audience:The book is designed to appeal to all scientists and practitioners in reproductive medicine and, specifically, to clinical scientists, graduate and postgraduate scientists, and laboratory personnel. It addresses this wide ranging audience well in giving both an overview of the sperm cell as well as detailed reviews of the molecular and genomic components that each of these groups would find of interest.
Features:The scholarly articles reflect discussions of basic sperm function, as well as controls of sperm production and function. It concludes with a series of articles defining the current state of genetic analysis of sperm cells. Its breadth is impressive, both as a general review and as a basis for further study and research. A centrally placed series of color plates illustrate the discussion particularly well.
Assessment:This is a terrific addition to the field of andrology. The editors have taken a subject that is expanding rapidly and compressed it in a smoothly organized volume that will stimulate thought and research.