Signal Transduction

Rating:
Summary: good undergrad text
Review: 5 stars - give me a break, that book hasn't been written yet! By comparison with the other [stuff]hat's out there, like the abysmal Hancock book from a few years ago or the equally execrable Helmreich text, this one DOES stand out like a overexpressed GFP-kinase. One thing that is definitely better is the illustrations (not credited remarkably enough) most of which are well done. It is a pretty good undergrad text and I used it in a course to generally good reviews. The format is entirely conventional, however, and follows a predictable sequence. One is not going to learn much new, if already in the field. Old Gomp et al do get nostalgic with their historical sidelines and overdo it in some places - e.g. the abstruse tale of who really discovered insulin - but in general the use of sidebars (very reminiscent of the new Nature review journals in format) is well done.

There are several problems that are difficult to work out in teaching signalling to undergrads these days. One is how to incorporate enough physiology of specific organs such that the tissue-specific signalling that makes them work is comprehensible. Another is how to incorporate the newer structural information so that it actually adds to understanding, as opposed to being just a superficial take on structural biology. I don't think the text solves either of these problems particularly well, but it does make a worthwhile stab at it.

All in all a good buy. One awaits the paperback so that the [money]tag is not such a hurdle to purchase.

Rating:
Summary: At Comprehensive Signal Transduction Textbook at Last!
Review: Anyone who has surveyed the collection of existing textbooks on signal transduction realizes that they come in two basic flavors - those that cover alot of ground in an extremely superficial fashion, and those that delve in depth into a few narrow area while leaving vast tracts of the subject untouched. In addition, most texts are written on a chapter-by-chapter basis by different authors, leaving these texts more a collection of essays than a comprehensive review.
Gomperts, Kramer and Tatham's book has suceeded dramatically where most of the others have failed. The text is strikingly comprehensive, covering nearly all major areas of signal transduction including receptors, G proteins, calcium signaling, protein and lipid kinases and phosphatases, growth factors and cell adhesion. It is the first book I have seen that integrates historical, pharmacological, and physiological findings in these areas with the biochemistry and fine molecular detail of the molecules involved. Written with a single voice, the chapters integrate elegantly with one another, and provide the reader with both broad and comprehensive viewpoints - one sees the forest AND the trees! Remarkably current and up-to-date, the book promises to be a core text for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in cell signaling and molecular cell biology, and a valuable reference book for all scientists whose work involves mechanisms of cell communication.

Rating:
Summary: A good work for the advanced undergraduate.
Review: My research group used a previous edition of this text in a seminar series during our weekly group meetings as a review text. It is very good at introducing the subject matter or serving as a refresher for students. The background info adds a nice touch. The ample illustrations help convey the information for the visual learners among us.