Essentials of Stem Cell Biology by Robert Lanza (Editor), E. Donnall Thomas (Editor), Brigid Hogan (Editor), James A. Thomson (Editor), Douglas Melton (Editor)

Product Details

Synopsis

This abridged version of the bestselling reference Handbook of Stem Cells, Two-Volume Set attempts to incorporate all the essential subject matter of the original two-volume edition in a single volume. The material has been reworked in an accessible format suitable for students and general readers interested in following the latest advances in stem cells, including full color presentation throughout. Although some extra language and chapters have been deleted, rigorous effort has been made to retain from the original two-volume set the material pertinent to the understanding of this exciting area of biology.

The organization of the book remains largely unchanged, combining the prerequisites for a general understanding of adult and embryonic stem cells; the tools, methods, and experimental protocols needed to study and characterize stem cells and progenitor populations; as well as a presentation by the world's experts of what is currently known about each specific organ system.

* Full-color presentation througout
* Each chapter begins with 3-5 defined glossary terms, and all of the terms are collected in a comprehensive list within the book
* References have been eliminated - now there are about 10 bibliographic entries per chapter

Annotation

This abridged version of the bestselling reference Handbook of Stem Cells, Two-Volume Set attempts to incorporate all the essential subject matter of the original two-volume edition in a single volume. The material has been reworked in an accessible format suitable for students and general readers interested in following the latest advances in stem cells, including full color presentation throughout. Although some extra language and chapters have been deleted, rigorous effort has been made to retain from the original two-volume set the material pertinent to the understanding of this exciting area of biology.

The organization of the book remains largely unchanged, combining the prerequisites for a general understanding of adult and embryonic stem cells; the tools, methods, and experimental protocols needed to study and characterize stem cells and progenitor populations; as well as a presentation by the world's experts of what is currently known about each specific organ system. Full-color presentation througout

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Bruce A. Fenderson, PhD (Thomas Jefferson University)
Description:Development proceeds from clusters of self-renewing stem cells to beautiful networks of differentiated cells. How stem cells acquire instructions for differentiation from their developmental landscape remains a mystery. When these instructions are revealed, stem cell-based therapies may transform medicine, providing a source of replacement cells and tissues for patients with chronic diseases. This beautiful hardcover book provides a concise and complete introduction to the theory and practice of stem cell research. It includes 69 definitive chapters on topics ranging from "molecular bases of pluripotency" and "nuclear cloning and epigenetic reprogramming" to "ethics of human stem cell research." The primary focus is on cellular and developmental biology.
Purpose:According to the editors, the aim of this book is to provide the "prerequisites for a general understanding of adult and embryonic stem cells; the ... experimental protocols needed to study and characterize stem cells...; as well as a presentation by the world's experts of what is currently known about each specific organ system." The editors and authors hope the book "will contribute to new therapies of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and a wide variety of other diseases that presently afflict humanity."
Audience:The book is written for a broad audience of basic science and clinical researchers interested in cellular and developmental biology. It will appeal to those interested in adult stem cells as well as those interested in embryonic stemcells. Biomedical researchers interested in bioengineering, gene therapy, and oncology will also value this book for its insights into mechanisms of growth and differentiation.
Features:This full-color book is divided into six major sections, covering basic stem cell biology, general methods, organ system-based applications, and regulations and ethics, among other topics. The authors interpret and explain the literature to make each chapter a complete story that educates the novice reader and delights the expert. They carefully document key historical developments in this field and provide examples of up-to-date laboratory findings. Prior knowledge of stem cell biology is not assumed. Each chapter provides an introduction, colorful headers to focus readers' attention, key words with definitions, and a short list of references for further reading. The full-color figures and illustrations are outstanding and educational. A glossary of key words is included. The book is a delight to read. The authors are leading experts in this field.
Assessment:This is the best book I've reviewed on stem cell biology. It is written by developmental biologists for a wide audience. It is comprehensive, yet concise. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on differentiation in early development by Chuva, Lopes, and Mummery. The methods section of the book does not provide detailed protocols, but rather focuses on key concepts and strategies for success. For example, you may want to know what embryonic germ cells look like, or you may wonder how to grow human embryonic stem cells in serum-free medium. The book provides an overview of the basic biology and an interesting discussion of the ethical issues in this rapidly growing field. This is the one book to have for anyone interested in the promise of stem cell research. It will provide an excellent resource for years to come.

Biography

Robert Lanza, M.D. is currently vice president of research & scientific development at Advanced Cell Technology, and Adjunct Professor of Surgical Sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He has several hundred scientific publications and patents, and 16 books, including Principles of Tissue Engineering (1st and 2nd Editions), Methods of Tissue Engineering, Principles of Cloning, XENO, Yearbook of Cell & Tissue Transplantation, One World: The Health & Survival of the Human Species in the 21st Century (as editor, with forewords by C. Everett Koop and former President Jimmy Carter), and Medical Science & the Advancement of World Health. Dr. Lanza received his B.A. and M.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was both a University Scholar and Benjamin Franklin Scholar. He is a former Fulbright Scholar, and studied as a student in the laboratory of Richard Hynes (MIT), Jonas Salk (The Salk Institute), and Nobel laureates Gerald Edelman (Rockefeller University) and Rodney Porter (Oxford University). He also worked closely (and coauthored a series of papers) with the late Harvard psychologist B.F. Skinner and heart transplant pioneer Christiaan Barnard. Dr. Lanza's current area of research focuses on the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine.