Extracellular Matrix: Chemistry, Biology, and Pathobiology with Emphasis on the Liver By Mark A. Zern and Lola M. Reid (review)

omissions. Particularly in describing the general mechanisms of signal transduction , it provides a valuable, up-to-date resource. Allison D. Fryer School ofHygiene and Public Health Department ofPhysiology Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland 21205 Extracellular Matrix: Chemistry, Biology, and Pathobiology with Emphasis on the Liver. By Mark A. Zern and Lola M. Reíd. New York: Marcel Dekker, 1993. Pp. 591. $195.00. In the past decade, awareness of the importance of the extracellular matrix in the regulation of cell function and differentiation has increased dramatically. The use of molecular and cellular biological techniques in the field of extracellular matrix has led to the emergence of a growing body of exciting data, proving an important new role for the extracellular matrix beyond its conventional role as the structural support in various tissues. The preface of Extracellular Matrix is an excellent summary of both the technical and the conceptual aspects of the revolution in this field. Chapters are organized into five sections to provide an ensemble of research reports and discussion on structure, molecular biology, function, and pathogenesis of extracellular matrix. Section I provides a complete review, covering both the report of seminal works and those related to more recent findings on the individual components of the extracellular matrix. This section features eight chapters on fibronectin, laminin, adhesion molecules, fibrillar collagene, and basement membrane collagen , each providing a review of literature related to biosynthesis, regulation of gene expression, and the assembly and function of the individual components of the extracellular matrix. Section II is devoted to the extracellular matrix and related molecules in the liver. This section features two chapters. The first includes a detailed and comprehensive description of the molecular and biochemical aspects of the extracellular matrix in hepatic fibrosis and a discussion on methodological considerations in the study of the liver extracellular matrix. This chapter is highlighted by excellent photomicrographs of in situ hybridization, and the patterns of expression of TGF-P1 and protooncogenes in acute liver injury. The second chapter provides the readers with superbly illustrated descriptions of the structure , cellular origin, and development of the extracellular matrix and its individual components in the liver. Section III is devoted to the important issue of hormonal regulation of the extracellular matrix in the liver. In the chapter on cytokines, regulatory effects of transforming growth factor-beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interlukin- 1 , colony-stimulating factors, platelet-derived growth factor, and interferon 144 Book Reviews gamma on collagen gene expression in the liver and on proliferation of hepatic cells are reviewed in detail. Discussion and the review of the literature on the regulation of procollagen and extracellular collagen synthesis in the liver by glucocorticoids and Prostaglandines are followed by a chapter on novel approaches of drug therapy in liver cirrhosis. This chapter discusses the rationale and mechanistic aspects of the use of drugs such as cholchicine, ursodeoxycholic acid, and methtrexate. Section IV is a general discussion and review of the literature on the function of extracellular matrix. This section is highlighted by chapters on diverse issues such as the role of the extracellular matrix in the development of tissue architecture , regulation of cell excitability, and the liver as a stem cell and lineage system. The final section of this book is entitled "Pathogenesis" and consists of two chapters, one on pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis and the other on the extracellular matrix and metastasis. It is indeed an excellent note on which to conclude the book. The chapter on hepatic fibrosis is superbly analytical and concise at the same time. In the last chapter the importance of the extracellular matrix and its components in the metastatic process is discussed in detail, in conjunction with discussions of the interplay between extracellular matrix and various growth factors. In summary, this book is a timely review of the literature on the extracellular matrix and its importance in the biological processes involving cell development and differentiation in health and diseases. Readers with a general interest in the extracellular matrix will find the book useful, whereas those particularly focusing on the liver will find it indispensable. Mahboubeh Eghbali Department of Anesthesiology School of Medicine Yale University New Haven, Connecticut Empathy and the Practice ofMedicine: BeyondPUL· and...