Handbook of Stem Cells by Atala, Anthony; Lanza, Robert;

Long description:

New discoveries in the field of stem cells increasingly dominate the news and scientific literature revealing an avalanche of new knowledge and research tools that are producing therapies for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and a wide variety of other diseases that afflict humanity. The Handbook of Stem Cells integrates this exciting area of life science, combining in two volumes the requisites for a general understanding of adult and embryonic stem cells. Organized in two volumes entitled Pluripotent Stem Cells and Cell Biology and Adult and Fetal Stem Cells, this work contains contributions from the world's experts in stem cell research to provide a description of the tools, methods, and experimental protocols needed to study and characterize stem cells and progenitor populations as well as a the latest information of what is known about each specific organ system.

• Provides comprehensive coverage on this highly topical subject
• Contains contributions by the foremost authorities and premiere names in the field of stem cell research
• Companion website - http://booksite.elsevier.com/9780123859426/ - contains over 250 color figures in presentation format

"The Handbook of Stem Cells, edited by Robert Lanza and colleagues, is an ambitious new text that achieves extraordinary completeness and inclusiveness...the editors have succeeded in putting together a reference that is broad enough in scope, but sufficiently detailed and rigorous, to be of real interest to both new and seasoned investigators in the field. ...In providing this treatise, which covers the history, biology, methods and applications of stem cells, the editors and authors have succeeded in establishing a conceptual framework and a common language for the field. In so doing, they have ensured that this two-volume set will serve as a benchmark reference in stem cell biology for years to come." --Nature Cell Biology, April 2005

"I am firmly convinced this is a set every biologist and physician, whatsoever his specialty, must have on his desk. ...The reader can benefit from the contributions by the foremost authorities and premiere names (more than 300 contributors; addresses provided) in the field of stem cell research. The two-volume collection of articles (155 chapters) covers everything of the present state of stem cell science, from the care and feeding of mouse stem cells to the possible use of embryonic stem cells in spinal cord repair." --European Journal of Histochemistry

"These books make an invaluable contribution to the education of researchers and clinicians both of the present day and of the future. They should be available in libraries of all biology and medical schools as well as those of companies and research institutions." --Ian Wilmut, Times Higher Education Supplement

"...a two volume collection of scientific articles covering everything from the care and feeding of mouse stems cells to the possible use of embryonic stem cells in spinal cord repairs. With 155 chapters and more than 300 contributors, the handbook is the result of a two-year effort to present the state of stem-cell science...The first volume focuses on embryonic stem cells, those found in human and animal embryos. Volume two covers stem cells drawn from fetuses and the 'adult' stem cells available in the bodies of children and adults...Actors Mary Tyler Moore and Christopher Reeve, who have previously lobbied for stem-cell research, also contributed chapters." --Lisa Eckelbecker, Telegram and Gazette

"...a collection of definitive articles by the world's experts... the research outlined in this volume is equally certain to contribute to cures for cancer and for a large number of other less famous diseases - many of mysterious origin - that presently represent terrible afflictions for humanity." --Bruce Alberts, President of the National Academy of Sciences (from the Foreword to Volume 1)

"This two-volume book is a much-needed attempt to bring together the cumulative work of many investigators in widely diverse aspects of stem cell studies." --E. Donnal Thomas, Nobel Laureate Medicine/Physiology, 1990 (from the Foreword to Volume 2)

"...the Handbook of Stem Cells is highly recommended primarily as a reference for scientists in the field of animal development...Academic medical libraries and other academic or special libraries serving researchers in cell and developmental biology will particularly benefit from having this handbook available." --E-Streams, February 2005

Table of Contents:

Volume 1: Pluripotent Stem Cells and Cell Biology
Part One: Basic Biology/Mechanisms
Part Two: Early Development
Part Three: Ectoderm
Part Four: Mesoderm
Part Five: Endoderm
Part Six: Methods
Part Seven: Applications
Part Eight: Regulation and Ethics
Part Nine: The Patient's Perspective

Volume 2: Adult and Fetal Stem Cells
Part One: Basic Biology/Mechanisms
Part Two: Early Development
Part Three: Ectoderm
Part Four: Mesoderm
Part Five: Endoderm
Part Six: Methods
Part Seven: Applications
Part Eight: Regulation and Ethics