© 2004 The American Genetic Association
Book Review |
The Biology and Pathology of the Oocyte: Its Role in Fertility and Reproductive Medicine
Alan Trounson and Roger Gosden, eds.Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 2003. 362 pp. £65.00.
Alan Trounson and Roger Gosden have edited the work of 31 authors in a superb volume, Biology and Pathology of the Oocyte: Its Role in Fertility and Reproductive Medicine. In this slim volume (350 pages) the authors present comprehensive reviews of the major fields in oocyte research, with occasional infusions of new work. Perhaps equally important are the frequent references to mechanisms or pathways that are unknown or incompletely understood, providing guidance for future investigation. In general, the book's diagrams and drawings are more instructive than the photomicrographs, some of which are not of sufficient magnification or clarity to significantly augment the text. Selected figures from five chapters are enhanced by the inclusion of color versions, which are tucked away together in the middle of the book. These prove especially useful for understanding complex drawings depicting gene expression patterns and confocal photomicrographs of oocyte Ca++ oscillations.
The text begins with Roger Short's brief, engaging history bracketed at both ends by William Harvey's 1651 maxim ex ovo omnia. Short fills the intervening centuries with provocative examples of the religious, philosophical, and scientific mysteries of the egg.
Immediately following this historical perspective are five chapters in the "Life Cycle" section covering the formation of the ovary, follicle growth, utilization of ovarian follicles, and comparative oogenesis. This last chapter represents the book's single nonmammalian entry, and Mary Bownes and Stephen Pathirana present compelling evidence that the study of Drosophila has and will continue to contribute important insight into the mammalian system. Although throughout this section the authors refer to the now-challenged doctrine (see Johnson J, Canning J, Kaneko T, Pru J, Tilly J, 2004. Germline stem cells and follicular renewal in the postnatal mammalian ovary. Nature 428:145–149) that mammalian ovaries are fully stocked at birth, proof to the contrary would not diminish the usefulness of these chapters. In fact, Malcolm Faddy and Roger Gosden's chapter on the dynamics of ovarian follicle utilization may be widely cited by opponents of the new theory of postnatal oocyte generation.
The second section on "Developmental Biology" takes a decidedly molecular turn, with chapters on gene expression, molecule storage and recovery, checkpoint controls, and egg activation. An elegant review of oocyte-specific genetic hierarchies by Jurrien Dean introduces this relatively young field and presents a number of specific questions that must be answered to fully understand the biology of the female germ cell. V. Duranthon and Jean-Paul Renard elaborate on this theme with their in-depth discussion of maternal transcript storage and recruitment, and interactions between maternal and embryonic information. Egg activation is thoroughly summarized by Philippe Collas and Rafael Fissore in a first-rate article on Ca++ oscillation. Interestingly, although many chapters describe the oocyte at ovulation, these authors alone point out that at least one mammalian taxon ovulates immature oocytes.
The "Pathology" section's lead chapter by A. Henry Sathananthan illustrates the normal and abnormal morphology of the human oocyte with references to disruptive influences such as cryopreservation and in vitro culture. Ursula Eichenlaub-Ritter's cogent survey of the causes, mechanisms, and cytogenetic manifestations of aneuploidy comprises the anchor chapter in this section and provides an authoritative reference likely to be cited extensively. A fine synopsis of mitochondrial DNA structure, transmission, and mutation is presented by Eric Shoubridge.
The final section "Technology and Clinical Medicine" would not be complete without John Eppig's contribution on oocyte culture. His classically straightforward descriptions and illustrations comprise the book's most accessible article. Coeditor Alan Trounson's own chapter is a molecular tour de force of human in vitro maturation. This impressive treatment of the mechanisms of maturation includes an exhaustive list of the genes expressed in immature oocytes and transitions into a practical primer for clinical in vitro fertilization. The book's final chapter by Jillian Shaw and Shae-Lee Cox examines the fecundity of transplanted ovaries. This timely article assesses the technique of ovarian grafting, which is currently enjoying a resurgence after its initial popularity more than 40 years ago.
There is a noticeable unevenness of content and level among the book's chapters; some will be especially useful to students, who will appreciate their general, even introductory approach, while other chapters require a good deal of specific prior knowledge to navigate. Despite this asymmetry, or perhaps because of it, this volume will be an indispensable addition to the libraries of a wide range of students, scientists, and clinicians.
Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species, Zoological Society of San Diego, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112
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