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| By: Joseph, Ph.D. Panno ISBN: 081606931X Publisher: Checkmark Books Release Date: 30 September, 2006 Bioscience book rank: 78264 | As a person who never studied high school level biology I find this book extremely difficult to follow. A solid background in chemistry seems necessary to fully grasp the concepts being discussed, so I was surprised that the Introduction claims it could be used as a middle-school textbook. Excerpt: "Binding of the dimerized growth factor then stimulates dimerization of the receptor. Dimerization of the receptor activates its own kinase domain, located inside the cell. The receptor, in turn, phosphorylates cytoplasmic signaling proteins that stimulate cell growth, differentiation, and proliferation. Each growth factor binds to its own specific receptor, which activates a unique set of signaling molecules." Are you getting this? Much new terminology is introduced on each page of the science sections - it is a very dense read. It is, however, full of information, if one is able to decipher it.
<br /> What are you passionate about? Within many topics there is a certain amount of controversy. In order to have a respectable opinion on any controversial issue, you must know what exactly is in conflict on that particular issue and also have a reasonable amount of background issue to base your beliefs off of and provide evidence of them. If you are interested in stem cell research, a great book for learning the necessary info would be Stem Cell Research: Medical Applications & Ethical Controversy by Joseph Panno, Ph. D. In this review, you will find a chapter by chapter outline of what excelled as well as what was flawed, some background information about the author, as well as other general thoughts and the book's relevance to current events. <br /> The book begins with an introduction to exactly what stem cells are. This is a great place for the book to start as it not only lays down a foundation for the arguments and information that are going to be presented later on in the book, but also introduces stem cells and their ethical controversies to those that may not be entirely familiar with the topic. There are also many helpful diagrams throughout this chapter introducing the names of different cells which will be important in later chapters. <br /> The second chapter deals with human stem cells. This chapter seems more designed for a science buff looking more for info on the scientific aspects of this topic than the ethical ones. Much of the info in this chapter was relatively useless to someone concerned with the ethical controversy and there were many large words and scientific terms that were difficult to keep track of. This however does not make it a bad chapter to all, just les useful to some than others. <br /> The third chapter offers excellent insight on the types of diseases that could be cured using stem cell therapy and how stem cells could cure them. For a book that offers such raw information, it is difficult to not be at least a little intrigued by this information. Whether this is the writing style or just the nature of the info is difficult to say, but the impact is there. This chapter provides quite possibly the strongest argument for those in support of stem cell research. <br /> Chapter four speaks of the commercialization of stem cells. This regards where stem cell research gets its funding more than anything. One may initially wonder why this information is pertinent. When taken into consideration, however, the fact that much of the ethical controversy surrounding the topic comes from the debate over how much government funding should be allocated for the research, then funding becomes a very important issue indeed. There is a lot of info in this chapter one may not have previously thought of, such as ulterior motives of pharmaceutical companies as well as specific examples, such as stock market woes of companies such as Aastrom Biosciences Inc. where a failure to yield results resulted in the decline of shareholder's confidence and eventual decline in value.(p.52) <br /> Chapter five hits directly on many of the difficulties of stem cell research and how its potential may be exaggerated by researchers. The biggest problem deals with the immune system's adverse reaction to foreign stem cells and how many scientists skew reports by using rats that have been genetically engineered to have no immune systems so they accept their stem cells implants. (p. 60) This chapter is a good counterweight to the previous chapter and really points out that the author has a realistic and neutral view on the topic, which is important for writing a definitive informational book on a topic involving ethical controversy. <br /> Chapter six details the ethical controversies of stem cell research. There are many such controversies and involved and it seems as though all the major ones are covered in this section. He does have a tendency to make those opposed to stem cell research sound more ignorant than those in support of it. This could however just be the way I viewed the passages entailed while I was reading them, reflecting my own personal bias on the subject. The one flaw with this chapter would have to be how he often refers to the next chapter on Judicial rulings he mentions in this chapter. This creates distractions from the reading and this chapter and the next chapter probably would have worked better together combined as one rather than separate. <br /> The final chapter in this book deals with the laws that have been passed as well as some of the finer point of debate on the topic. The laws brought up are clear and definitive without being overly wordy, e.g. specific segments of the debate are left out in favor of the conclusions in various courts across the U.S. and Europe. <br /> This book was published in 2005, so it is only a year old and virtually all relevant information is still pertinent within the ethical debates and also within the scientific community to this day. The fact that it analyzed not only what both sides have to say about the controversy in general, but also the laws that were passed regarding them and in several different countries no less was truly beyond expectations. Additionally, the author has solid credentials on the subject so one can feel secure in the accuracy of the info. "Joseph Panno, Ph.D., holds a degree in biology from Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, and specializes in molecular biology and physiology. He has taught a variety of undergraduate biology courses and published in numerous peer-reviewed publications including Cytometry and Molecular Brain Research." (1) He also has recently published an entire series of books involving current biological issues, Stem Cell Research: Medical Applications & Ethical Controversy being volume one in "The New Biology" series. <br /> As a general rule when choosing a book, you must choose what you hope to get out of the book. This book offers a broad topic in its title, Stem Cell Research: Medical Applications & Ethical Controversy. As a result, one would expect to find a wealth of information regarding this subject in a book with such a title, and the book doesn't fail to live up to such a lofty claim. Therefore, if one were to decide that they wanted to become very knowledgeable on all matters involving stem cells in 90 pages, this book would not disappoint. The book doesn't offer opinion pieces on the subject however, but the reading of opinion pieces on a subject should generally be viewed as inferior when viewed in contrast against raw information and being given the opportunity to freely make one's own mind up about an issue. <br />Basically, this book is great for anyone who is interested in stem cell research and has very few flaws to be concerned about. Every chapter provides solid information, it is all up to date, and you'd be hard pressed to find a more qualified author. In the end, how you use this information is up to you. Want to understand the Stem Cell Research controversy? This is the book! It is not overly technical so the average layman can understand the issues. | |
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| By: John Kilner ISBN: 0825430755 Publisher: Kregel Publications Release Date: 31 December, 2002 Bioscience book rank: 689119 | ||
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| By: Thomas Ming Swi Chang ISBN: 9812707786 Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Company Release Date: 15 May, 2007 Bioscience book rank: 671411 | Contrary to the all-encompassing title, this book does not cover much ground except author's own results. | |
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| By: Cynthia B. Cohen ISBN: 0195305248 Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA Release Date: 25 June, 2007 Bioscience book rank: 740790 | ||
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| By: Ann B. Parson ISBN: 0309089883 Publisher: Joseph Henry Press Release Date: 21 September, 2004 Bioscience book rank: 624089 | Parson has done an excellent job in presenting various aspects of the stem cell field in an engaging & vivid manner. Supported by her extensive research & interviews, the content of 'The Proteus Effect' is well balanced, with fascinating & concise information in areas including: history, science, people, commercial potential, political & ethical issues. It is refreshing to see how Parson managed to make a complicated science come to life. Abraham Trembley and the hydra, Roy Stevens and Mouse 129, and the purple cell. <br /> <br />This is an important book to read because Anne Parson ties together the historical events and patterns that establish the modern understanding of the Stem Cell. <br /> <br />Blood Stem cells. 25 Trillion blood cells exist in the blood and every second 2 million blood cells die and are replaced. The key was to find the pluripotent stem cell that differentiated into the blood cell. Find the original parent was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Researcher found that mice with defective bone marrow (damaged by radiation) could be restored by translates of marrow stem cells injected directly in the blood. The bone marrow transplant in essence restored the bone marrow stem cells to functional and normal status. <br /> <br />Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) protein are found on the surface of the the cell. The HLA help the immune system decide what cells are foreign and should be destroyed. The immune system destroys the cells by creating antibodies and other substances. <br /> <br />In syngeneic transplants, patients receive stem cells from their identical twin. <br /> <br />Allogeneic transplants. The patients receive stem cells from someone other than the patient or an identical twin. For a bone marrow transplant to work, the recipient's immune system needs to have a way to keep the immune system (T-Cells) from destorying the donated marrow. The HLA in the donated donated marrow cells must be identical. <br /> <br />HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DR were used to determine a match between a donor and recipient. A total of six antigens from the donor must match the six antigens of the recipient. <br /> <br />Autologous transplants. The patient receives the harvested stem cells and these stem cell integrate and produce new blood cells. The harvested stem cells come from the blood, peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. The stem cells are frozen until they are ready to be transplanted. The patient receives the stem cells back into their blood. <br /> <br />After entering the bloodstream, the stem cells travel to the bone marrow, where they begin to produce new white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in a process known as "engraftment." <br /> <br />Neurogensis. Female Canary bird brains could increase in size by introducing a hormone causing maleness destroying the myth that neurons did not produce after birth. In 1960, Joseph Altman found evidence of new cells in the hippocampus of an adult rat brain. In 1988, scientist showed the adult human brain produces new neurons. Stem cells in the brain produce either neurons or glia, the glue that holds the neurons together. After the neuron is generated, it migrates to a specific part of the brain and differentiates, as a, sensory neuron or motor neuron or interneuron. As the brain develops, molecular signals from other cells help determine the shape and location. <br /> Science journalist Ann B. Parson presents The Proteus Effect: Stem Cells And Their Promise For Medicine, a fascinating look at what research into fetal stem cells has to say about not only the latest modern medicine, but also the aging process and the destiny of humanity itself. Going from scientific discoveries in 1740 to the cutting-edge research of the modern day, The Proteus Effect looks at not only issues of research and learning, but also political and social concerns regarding stem cell research and ethical questions of a morally slippery slope. An absolute must-read for anyone seeking to learn more about this controversial research and the new discoveries constantly being gleaned from it. <br /> | |
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| By: Ewa Carrier, Gracy Ledingham ISBN: 0763712736 Publisher: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. Release Date: 13 June, 2003 Bioscience book rank: 441248 | I first came across this book in the library at the local Cancer center and after my husband and I had both read it, we decided to buy our own copy. It is highly recommended for anyone who is waiting for bone marrow transplant ( most are done by stem cell transplants now rather than using surgery.) For us it helped to clarify the procedures I will be going through, and it helped us to know what questions to ask my doctor ...and to understand her answers. There is so much to learn about what will be happening to the patient and it is well worth while arming yourself with the knowledge. I felt really empowered when I read this book. It is dealing with a very complex procedure, but it is able to explain it in terms a layman can understand. A must-read for patients and their caregivers alike. | |
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| By: Meral Beksac ISBN: 1588295958 Publisher: Humana Press Release Date: 03 May, 2007 Bioscience book rank: 800220 | ||
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| By: Bernard van Zyl ISBN: 1425960286 Publisher: AuthorHouse Release Date: 19 September, 2006 Bioscience book rank: 808219 | This is the best book I have read on the potential for stem cell therapy from the patient's perspective. It is written in the most straightforward manner possible, focused not on polemic but on being helpful. So much so, that the author takes nothing for granted, even the patient's knowledge about the Internet (a few plodding pages on that topic alone) but also on the practicalities of using pluripotential cells. The book is also exceedingly honest: the author recounts his experiences (and transient recovery) during the placebo arm of a trial of stem cells. My one quibble is that after giving us so much detail about the wind up to the transplant, we get very little detail on the author's outcome after the stem cell infusion. Did it last longer than the placebo? How many years out has it been effective? This part of the review may be grossly unfair as I have no idea how sick the author was when he wrote this. Maybe he was in a hurry to get the word out and did not have much follow up time to report on. Despite among the driest writing styles I have experienced in many years, I find the story of this book has stuck with me. Stem Cells Saved My Life: How to Be Next is the true-life story of author Bernard Van Zyl, who suffered from severe heart disease that could not be brought under control by conventional surgery or therapy. Yet an FDA-approved clinical trial transformed his life - adult stem cells were harvested from his own body, and used to bolster the strength of his heart, transforming him from a dying invalid and giving him a new leash on life. Stem Cells Saved My Life does more than tell his story; it presents what he has learned about stem cell treatments, FDA-approved clinical trials for stem cell therapies that are currently helping thousands of people, and advice for readers who may be in need concerning how to locate and get into such clinical trials. Written in plain terms for readers of all backgrounds, Stem Cells Saved My Life discusses adult, embryonic, fetal, and umbilical cord stem cells, and is enthusiastically recommended for its inspirational message to never give up hope to anyone struggling with a medical problem that can potentially be helped through stem cell treatment. This book has given me a new perspective on Stem Cell research. Especially as it pertains to real science as opposed to rhetoric. The book presents an interesting case study about a specific kind of treatment, but it also delves into the various research that is going on in the field of Stem Cells. It was informative and well researched. | |
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| By: Kursad Turksen ISBN: 1588291529 Publisher: Humana Press Release Date: 27 January, 2004 Bioscience book rank: 367757 | ||
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| By: R. Ian Freshney, Glyn N. Stacey, Jonathan M. Auerbach ISBN: 0470052465 Publisher: Wiley-Liss Release Date: 22 June, 2007 Bioscience book rank: 277680 | ||
Related books in this category:
cell culture, methods in cell biology, apoptosis, cell cycle, mitosis, signal transduction, receptor, mitochondria, ribosome, stem cell, flow cytometry
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