Handbook of Cell Signaling

Handbook of Cell Signaling , in three volumes. Edited by Ralph A. Bradshaw and Edward A. Dennis . ( ISBN 012 1245462 ). San Diego and London : Academic Press . 2004 . This is a massive tome. It weighs in at 6.6 kg, has 350 chapters and a total of 2355 pages, with over 600 experts as contributors, and the leaders of the fields as section editors. Its breadth is extraordinary, reflecting the explosion of knowledge in a still rapidly evolving field. Part I, which deals with extracellular and membrane events, contains 65 chapters covering the principles of molecular recognition, immunological interactions, virus receptor interactions and G-proteins. The following sections cover vertical and horizontal receptors – including G-proteins, glycoprotein hormones, protease receptors, ion channels and cytokine receptors. Part II – on effectors and cytosolic events – covers kinases and phosphatases extensively, calcium mobilization, lipid second messengers, protein proximity interactions and cyclic nucleotides, G-proteins and developmental signalling. Part III – nuclear and cytoplasmic events – covers nuclear receptors (12 chapters), transcription factors (16 chapters), damage and stress responses (15 chapters) and post-translational control (10 chapters). Part IV deals with events in intracellular compartments, and includes brief chapters on ER stress, exocytosis, apoptosis and cell-cycle. Part V focuses on cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions, and includes chapters on angiogenesis, cardiac development, neurotrophic factors, bone, lung, liver, gonads, T/B cells, breast, kidney, prostate, and haematopoietic signalling (18 chapters). My colleagues and I enjoyed dipping into individual chapters, and found that overall they had been written clearly and concisely, with each one serving as a good introduction to the subject. However, they tended to be fairly brief, and it would have been useful if individual chapters had been followed by references to more extensive reviews suitable for further reading. The most detailed sections in the book are Parts I and II, reflecting the major locus of cell signalling research, whereas the sections on events in intracellular compartments were more sketchy. With the increasing use of high-throughput genetic and protein interaction screens, biologists are being forced to move into new areas outside their immediate area of expertise – and this book would serve as useful resource for them. I would view this as an excellent addition to a departmental or institutional library.