Molecular Biology in Reproductive Medicine [Hardcover]

B.C.J.M. Fauser (Editor), A.J. Rutherford (Editor), Jerome F. Strauss III (Editor), Andre Van Steirteghem (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 1999 | ISBN-10: 1850709947 | ISBN-13: 978-1850709947 | Edition: 1st

This is an exceptionally comprehensive, color-illustrated clinical reference work of great authority thoroughly covering the basic science and clinical applications of molecular biology in reproductive medicine. It is written clearly and definitively for practicing physicians needing a reader-friendly textbook on this new and important area of clinical practice. Its noted authors are among the world s leading experts in molecular and cell biology, pharmacology, human and clinical genetics, obstetrics and gynecology and women's health, reproductive endocrinology and fertility, physiology, and medical ethics. The book contains 23 chapters in six sections on molecular genetics, cell biology, hormone syntheses and action and signal transduction, gamete and embryo biology, clinical genetics, and the genetics of female and male reproductive dysfunction.

Editorial Reviews

From The New England Journal of Medicine

Without doubt, molecular biology has changed the way in which we study biology and the way in which we solve problems in therapeutics and medicine. At the close of the second millennium, the sequencing of the entire human genome is well under way. This catalogue of our genes will be an indispensable tool for the diagnosis and treatment of inherited diseases. Molecular Biology in Reproductive Medicine provides a comprehensive yet easy-to-read account of the basics of molecular medicine. Several chapters are dedicated specifically to technical aspects, whereas other chapters provide details sufficient for understanding a particular application of diagnostic molecular biology. Such information is essential to the understanding of the rapidly changing field of reproductive medicine.

What is particularly appealing about this book is that it uses up-to-date examples of nonprimate models in which a particular process or function is best understood. In this way it differs from many textbooks designed for species-chauvinistic medical practitioners, and is a true reflection of ongoing research in reproductive biology, for which models are essential and, in fact, are widely used. Fruit flies and microscopic worms stand strong alongside "mice and men" as important contributors to our understanding of the diverse and complex processes necessary for successful reproduction. Because it takes this approach, the book will be useful to students of both biology and medicine.

This book also deals with various important topics in reproductive medicine such as growth factors, gonadotropins and their receptors, gametogenesis, and molecular carcinogenesis. Each chapter has a section on potential clinical relevance, and when they are known, the genes responsible for specific diseases are indicated. Particularly important in molecular medicine is the identification of single point mutations or polymorphisms in disease-related genes. Often a change in one codon will lead to a change in an amino acid, and then a deleterious mutation may occur. Several sections address how to detect mutations, which is by no means easy in certain situations.

Students and practitioners of reproductive medicine must be particularly diplomatic when dealing with the ethical problems associated with the genetics of reproductive disorders and assisted reproduction. The final third of the book deals with many aspects of clinical genetics, genetic counseling, and genetic diagnosis in preimplantation embryos. Many patients or their families may have moral, religious, or emotional objections to reproductive technology. Thus, the clinician must be made aware of these delicate issues.

Missing is a critical chapter dedicated to normal and abnormal sexual development. There are sections on female and male development, but this important subject is not covered adequately. Also not mentioned is the related issue of the effects of the "gender-bender" class of environmental pollutants, such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), various other common pesticides, and persistent organic pollutants. Many of these substances are known to alter sexual development or function by binding to estrogen receptors that regulate gene transcription or by modulating sex-steroid synthesis during critical periods of development. Other pollutants are genotoxins, which modify DNA structure. Chemical exposure is believed by some researchers to be linked to the development of breast and prostate cancers or even to reductions in fertility and cognitive functions in certain human populations.

The diagrams and figures in this book are of reasonable quality; more color photographs would have been helpful. Several figures in the beginning technical chapters could have been edited more consistently. For example, there are some variations in the descriptions of the polymerase chain reaction, which may confuse the neophyte. There is also a difficult-to-understand diagram of untranslated regions and the organization of genes.

In all, however, Molecular Biology in Reproductive Medicine is a very useful book that is reasonably priced. The changing fields of molecular biology and reproductive physiology are combined in an easy-to-use format that will appeal to students, researchers, and clinicians alike.

Reviewed by Vance Trudeau, Ph.D.
Copyright © 1999 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved. The New England Journal of Medicine is a registered trademark of the MMS.

Review

"Fauser has assembled a 'who's who' in the field of reproductive molecular research and developed an excellent, well-organized book. . . . an extensive presentation . . . The authors have done an outstanding job of distilling complex facts into understandable presentations. . . . As each chapter unfolds, the mysteries of molecular biology gradually become clear. . . . {Recommended] to all those interested in fully appreciating these advances. It is the most thorough, concise, and understandable presentation that this reviewer has had the opportunity to read." -- Ralph W. Hale, MD, in ACOG Clinical Review, July/August 1999

Product Details

• Hardcover: 540 pages
• Publisher: Informa Healthcare; 1st edition (March 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1850709947
• ISBN-13: 978-1850709947
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.7 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,434,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)