Human Embryonic Stem Cells: An Introduction to the Science and Therapeutic Potential

Rating:
Summary: Addressing both medical and ethical issues
Review: Collaboratively written by Ann A. Kiessling and Scott Anderson for readers who are already basically familiar with the fundamentals of cell biology, Human Embryonic Stem Cells is a informed and informative presentation of what modern research and science has learned about stem cells and the therapies that involve them. Addressing both medical and ethical issues, and enhanced with black-and-white photographs and drawings, Human Embryonic Stem Cells is a strongly recommended scholarly and scientific work and an invaluable contribution to having an informed public and academic understanding with respect to an active and controversial medica/social/political issue.

Rating:
Summary: Well presented but biased...
Review: I found this book to be relatively well written supplemented with clear figures. That being said, I found the book quite biased towards hESC research. Any introduction towards a subject, especially directed to the lay reader should be a little more objective than this book is. I understand that the book is about hESCs, but adult stem cells are given a cursory brush aside as if they were not an alternative at all. I particularly found offensive the following statement, "Scientific ignorance is the driving engine of the antiembryonic stem cell movement." On the contrary, moral indifference, the almighty dollar and scientific ignorance are all driving the proembryonic movement. I also happen to have an advanced degree in bioengineering and am against hESC research. The book neglects to mention that clinical trials with hESCs are far, far away. Instead, as do most books of this type, it paints a picture that cures with hESC's are just around the corner when this is simply not the case. Overall, this book typifies the hESC hype that is prevalent in today's society.

Rating:
Summary: Not Easy but Well Worth the Efforts
Review: I was extremely impressed with this exceptional book as it teaches lay people what is happening in this very important, cutting edge field. It is well layed out. Kiessling and Anderson cover the concepts, history, and backgrounds necessary so that all readers get a good understanding of the basics of stem cell research. They do it without sidesteping or ignoring many of the misconceptions, or beliefs that challenge many basic religious and ethical dogma. For example, when a woman's body produces nearly one million eggs ("20,000 eggs die each year including the dozen or so which are ovulated"), and the moment of conception can now be debated between when a sperm first connects with an egg and the time when DNA replication occurs is hours (at least 6 to 8 hours) later. Once again, science is challenging our basic beliefs. The world is no longer flat. Unlike so many of our basic text books of the past, Human Embryonic Stem Cells frequently points out the edge of what is known in this science with "more study is needed in this area" being a common theme throughout the book. This book is the cutting edge. The chapters on Neurogenerative Diseases and Tissue Systems Failures point out that there is a real possibility for over 125 million people being helped and/or cured of everything from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Diseases to Diabetes and Hemophilia. The research on Spinal Cord Injuries is changing what is known and believed about how we can treat those injured, too.
This book isn't easy reading. It doesn't shy away from including the science, yet the rewards are abundant. Every member of congress should study this book before voting to limit one of the most promising fields open to mankind.

Rating:
Summary: Not Easy but Well Worth the Efforts
Review: I was extremely impressed with this exceptional book as it teaches lay people what is happening in this very important, cutting edge field. It is well layed out. Kiessling and Anderson cover the concepts, history, and backgrounds necessary so that all readers get a good understanding of the basics of stem cell research. They do it without sidesteping or ignoring many of the misconceptions, or beliefs that challenge many basic religious and ethical dogma. For example, when a woman's body produces nearly one million eggs ("20,000 eggs die each year including the dozen or so which are ovulated"), and the moment of conception can now be debated between when a sperm first connects with an egg and the time when DNA replication occurs is hours (at least 6 to 8 hours) later. Once again, science is challenging our basic beliefs. The world is no longer flat. Unlike so many of our basic text books of the past, Human Embryonic Stem Cells frequently points out the edge of what is known in this science with "more study is needed in this area" being a common theme throughout the book. This book is the cutting edge. The chapters on Neurogenerative Diseases and Tissue Systems Failures point out that there is a real possibility for over 125 million people being helped and/or cured of everything from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Diseases to Diabetes and Hemophilia. The research on Spinal Cord Injuries is changing what is known and believed about how we can treat those injured, too.
This book isn't easy reading. It doesn't shy away from including the science, yet the rewards are abundant. Every member of congress should study this book before voting to limit one of the most promising fields open to mankind.

Rating:
Summary: A Shelf of Stem Cells
Review: Kiessling and Anderson have produced a very good book, Human Embryonic Stem Cells, subtitled "An Introduction to the Science and Therapeutic Potential." Filled with detail, this is the stem cell textbook I will use for my seminar class this coming semester. The book is divided into five parts: The Basics; Egg Specific Functions; Embryonic Stem Cells; Stem Cell Therapies; and Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Society. It has a thoughtful and lively writing style, and the authors have written it for a wide audience. I think it is just right for advanced undergraduates who have had cell biology. It is well illustrated, and contains diagrams covering everything from crossover events in meiosis to the construction of mouse chimeras. It is unfortunate that many of the figure captions are so brief as to be misleading (i.e., "human chromosome pairing during mitosis"), though the explanations in the text are accurate. I particularly like the highlighted sidebars throughout the book, giving historical context to techniques and experiments. These range from early reports of human egg activation in the 1940's to the development of tissue culture media The authors' strong enthusiasm for the potential of embryonic stem cell therapies comes through (in contrast to Prentice's view, above), and their mission in writing this book is to make the case for public support of embryonic stem cell research.

Read this entire review at: http://www.cellbioed.org/articles/vol3no1/article.cfm?articleID=91#FN1