Oxidants and Antioxidants: Ultrastructure and Molecular Biology Protocols

Oxidants and Antioxidants: Ultrastructure and Molecular Biology Protocols Methods in Molecular Biology Series, Volume 196. D. Armstrong ed. Humana Press. ISBN 0-89603-851-3

This is one of the latest books in the Methods in Molecular Biology series and is published concurrently with a second book Oxidative Stress Biomarkers and Antioxidant Protocols (Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol. 186). The editor has put together a large collection of protocols, written by researchers in the field who have actually carried out the techniques.

Each chapter starts with a short introduction, followed by the protocols themselves. A good feature is that the methods are preceded by a section on materials needed, which includes both equipment and reagents. In each case results are shown and discussed, showing the reader exactly the types of image, or data, to be expected. Chapters also contain notes, with handy tips such as 'always handle tissues on dry ice...' or '10% TCA or 2% paraformaldehyde can also be used...'. The chapters are well referenced too, so that the reader can delve further into the subject.

The book is helpfully sectioned into four parts: Techniques for histological identification; Techniques for subcellular localisation; Techniques for molecular biology; and, Techniques for in vivo/ex vivo/in vitro application. I feel it a pity, however, that each does not start with an introduction outlining what is to be covered and why such techniques were chosen.

However, the range of techniques covered by the book is broad, and include immunodetection, confocal microscopy, X-ray diffraction, paramagnetic resonance, chemilumine-scence and cytofluorescence. But, as can be seen from this abridged list, there are some techniques that require specialist equipment and would be hard for some researchers to follow. Although many of the techniques are suggested for very specific purposes, this book will supply enough information to allow the adaptation of the protocols for other research. For example, Western blotting is discussed to study the translocation of p47^sup phox^, an NADPH oxidase subunit, but Western blotting can be used in many other studies.

While the range of subjects is broad, there are perhaps some omissions. For example, in the chapter on analysis of gene expression following oxidative stress the authors discuss the use of RNA differential display, which is an excellent technique for such a study; however, another and more comprehensive technique would be the use of microarrays, which is not mentioned in the book.

With the advent of proteomics, and the resurgence of mass spectrometric analysis of compounds, I would have thought this too would have featured in this text. In fairness, this is one of a large series of books and cannot be expected to cover everything.

Overall, the editor has amassed a huge amount of material on the subject, and the book would be an asset to any laboratory researching in this area. It is well laid out, covers the chosen topics in detail and would be valuable for a researcher who wishes to try a technique, or needs to trouble shoot. Along with others in this series, it is a good book to have at hand so that research students and more experienced laboratory workers have a place where they can learn more about the techniques they may use for their investigations.

J T Hancock