Introduction to Electron Microscopy for Biologists, Volume 88: Methods in Cell Biology [Hardcover]

Terry D. Allen Ph.D. D.Sc. (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 16, 2008 | ISBN-10: 0123743206 | ISBN-13: 978-0123743206 | Edition: 1

Introduction to Electron Microscopy for Biologists is ideal for the scientist who may be considering electron microscopy as a tool to extend molecular, biochemical, or light microscope observations to the next level of structural information, only available by electron microscopy. Each chapter briefly surveys the present state of structural information in a particular area, be it an individual but widely occurring molecule such as actin or collagen, together with the methods for visualization, either as an extracted and purified entity, or in situ within its biological context. Not only is this book an introduction to electron microscopy in general, but it is also useful for those within the field who wish to move to a different area of expertise, for instance an approach based on rapid freezing, rather than more conventional protocols. This should be a first choice reference for any biologist wanting to know 'what does it look like' across the full spectrum of cell and molecular biology of life science.

*Illustrates the advantages of electron microscopy and the protocols required for fine structural visualization of individual molecules upwards, ranging from mammalian tissues to experimental organisms.
*Comprehensive chapters cover both structural information on each area as well as the protocols themselves
*Includes methods covering specific labeling, as well as methods for quantification and three dimensional reconstruction from molecular to tissue levels.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 560 pages
• Publisher: Academic Press; 1 edition (July 16, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0123743206
• ISBN-13: 978-0123743206
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,180,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not an INTRODUCTION!!, September 27, 2010

By 

Rafael Guerrero Cepeda (Mexico City, MEXICO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Introduction to Electron Microscopy for Biologists, Volume 88: Methods in Cell Biology (Hardcover)

This book claims to be an "Introduction" to electron microscopy, but it is not. Instead, it is a general description of VERY SPECIFIC methods, such as high pressure freezing, electron probe X-ray microanalysis, types of immunolabeling and specific techniques for each cellular organelle. IT DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY GENERAL METHOD OF PRINCIPLE, such as common fixatives, staining methods or embedding resins, nor does it say anything about the physics of the microscope.

If you are really looking for an INTRODUCTION (and a very general one, for that matter) to biological electron microscopy, I would recommend Bozzola's and Russell's Electron Microscopy. It contains general principles of both types of electron microscopes, basic techniques for standard methods, and chapters on more specific methods, like immunocytochemistry, autoradiography and freeze methods. For better and in-depth information about specimen preparation, Hayat's Principles and Techniques of Electron Microscopy is the best book available, although it does not contain any information on the physical principles of the electron micrsocope.

However, if your subject of interest are the physical principles of the electron microscope (and you are a biologist), although a bit old, Sjöstrand's book Electron Microscopy of Cells and Tissues is a very good reference, as well as Wischnitzer's Introduction to Electron Microscopy and Meek's Practical Electron Microscopy for Biologists.