Book review In situ hybridization. Principles and practice (2nd edn), edited by J. M. Polak and J. O’D. McGee. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1998 (212 pp; £39.95). In situ hybridization (ISH), also known as ‘hybridization histochemistry’ or ‘hybridization cytology’, was first des- cribed by Gall and Pardue (1969) who demonstrated the amplified presence of ribosomal coding DNA in nuclear caps in preparations of oocytes from Xenopus laevis. During the past decades, ISH has become a powerful tool in molecular biology and pathology, and has been widely applied to the localization of viral DNA, detection messen- ger RNA and analysis of genes in chromosomes. It is pleasing to read this attractive and useful handbook cover- ing both theory and applications of ISH in oncology and infectious disease. The book consists of 10 chapters, each illustrated with comprehensive charts and diagrams which are of great help to the reader. Generally, this book can be divided into two parts. In the first part, the authors introduce the basics of molecular biology involving ISH, design and generation of probes, labels and quantification of ISH signals, as well as the rele- vant protocols. This is the most valuable part of the book, not only for students but also for experts in this area. Although ISH is a powerful technique, it is not that easy to be mastered. Perhaps this is why ISH is not running successfully in some laboratories. In comparison with the first edition of this book, the present volume contains more details of the ISH protocols, thus providing a simple approach to ISH for beginners. The second part of the book gives some examples of the applications of ISH in specialist fields: genetic changes in cancer and viral detection in clinical samples, which may be of more interest to oncologists, virologists and pathologists. In the last two chapters of the book, the authors introduce the combination of ISH and immuno- cytochemistry (at the light and electron microscope levels), as well as supersensitive ISH (including in situ polymerase chain reaction, Nanogold-silver ISH, and CARD-Nanogold- silver ISH) to locate DNA and RNA. At the end of this book, the authors also give a list of reagent suppliers that may also be helpful for beginners. In summary, this excellent handbook can be recommen- ded very highly for clinicians, students of medicine, other scientists in training and also for specialists in the field. S. YING Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology National Heart and Lung Institute Imperial College School of Medicine Dovehouse Street London SW3 6LY UK Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 1999, Volume 29, pages 1579 1579 q 1999 Blackwell Science Ltd

In situ hybridization. Principles and practice (2nd edn), : edited by J. M. Polak and J. O'D. McGee. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1998 (212 pp; £39.95)

Download PDF Report

Upload
ying
View
223
Download
0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Book review

In situ hybridization. Principles and practice (2nd edn),edited by J. M. Polak and J. O’D. McGee. Oxford UniversityPress, Oxford, 1998 (212 pp; £39.95).

In situ hybridization (ISH), also known as ‘hybridizationhistochemistry’ or ‘hybridization cytology’, was first des-cribed by Gall and Pardue (1969) who demonstrated theamplified presence of ribosomal coding DNA in nuclearcaps in preparations of oocytes fromXenopus laevis. Duringthe past decades, ISH has become a powerful tool inmolecular biology and pathology, and has been widelyapplied to the localization of viral DNA, detection messen-ger RNA and analysis of genes in chromosomes. It ispleasing to read this attractive and useful handbook cover-ing both theory and applications of ISH in oncology andinfectious disease. The book consists of 10 chapters, eachillustrated with comprehensive charts and diagrams whichare of great help to the reader.

Generally, this book can be divided into two parts. Inthe first part, the authors introduce the basics of molecularbiology involving ISH, design and generation of probes,labels and quantification of ISH signals, as well as the rele-vant protocols. This is the most valuable part of the book,not only for students but also for experts in this area.Although ISH is a powerful technique, it is not that easyto be mastered. Perhaps this is why ISH is not runningsuccessfully in some laboratories. In comparison with the

first edition of this book, the present volume containsmore details of the ISH protocols, thus providing a simpleapproach to ISH for beginners.

The second part of the book gives some examples ofthe applications of ISH in specialist fields: genetic changesin cancer and viral detection in clinical samples, whichmay be of more interest to oncologists, virologists andpathologists. In the last two chapters of the book, theauthors introduce the combination of ISH and immuno-cytochemistry (at the light and electron microscope levels),as well as supersensitive ISH (includingin situ polymerasechain reaction, Nanogold-silver ISH, and CARD-Nanogold-silver ISH) to locate DNA and RNA. At the end of thisbook, the authors also give a list of reagent suppliers thatmay also be helpful for beginners.

In summary, this excellent handbook can be recommen-ded very highly for clinicians, students of medicine, otherscientists in training and also for specialists in the field.

S. YING

Department of Allergy andClinical Immunology

National Heart and Lung InstituteImperial College School of Medicine

Dovehouse StreetLondon SW3 6LY

Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 1999, Volume 29, pages 1579

1579q 1999 Blackwell Science Ltd