Cell adhesion: the outside and inside story: (Frontiers in Molecular Biology)

Edited by Mary C. Beckerle.Oxford University Press.£70.00 (hbk)/£35.00 (pbk) (401 pages)ISBN 0 19 963872 (hbk)/ 0 19 96387 1 (pbk)This book is an elegant review of the molecular mechanisms that control cell adhesion. It provides a thorough examination of our current understanding of the structure and function of adhesion molecules in development and disease, and it also focuses on the intricate signaling pathways by which adhesion molecules allow cells to respond and adapt to their environment. While the book provides clear roadmaps of cell adhesion to nonspecialist scientists as well as undergraduate or graduate students and instructors, it is also an exciting updated overview of the cell-adhesion literature for habitues of this field. This state–of-the-art series of review articles has been compiled by Mary Beckerle. With her insight and expertise, this volume reaches a laudable objective – especially praiseworthy as, prior to the release of this book, a comprehensive volume on cell adhesion was not available.Cell Adhesion covers a broad range of topics that are logically integrated. The first part of the book is an outstanding analysis of the seven major classes of adhesion receptors that mediate cell–extracellular matrix or cell–cell interactions: integrins, cadherins, selectins, heparan sulfate proteoglycans, the immunoglobulin superfamily, ADAMs and transmembrane protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). The review articles are subdivided into three sections: a discussion of the structure of the adhesion family members; a functional analysis of the family members (in which function corresponds to ligand binding activity and/or signaling pathway activation); and a review of the role of specific family members in development and disease. Most of the chapters highlight the physiological control mechanisms of cell adhesion, from cell biology to developmental biology, as well as the pathological aberrations of expression and functions of cell-adhesion molecules. The various authors take the reader into the fascinating world of cell adhesion, focusing on the role cell-adhesion molecules play outside and inside the cells – from the ‘adult’ world of integrins and proteoglycans to the ‘infant’ world of the ADAMS and receptor-like PTPs. Some chapters devote more emphasis to the role of cell-adhesion molecules in development, whereas others focus on their role in disease. In this regard, the role of selectins in inflammation as well as the role of cadherins and proteoglycans in cancer is extensively reviewed.Equally appealing is the second part of the book in which the molecular organization and function of highly specialized areas for cell adhesion are discussed. Specifically, in this section, are described adherens junctions, focal adhesions and focal complexes, desmosomes, hemidesmosomes and tight junctions. Here, the biochemical organization of these structures and the signaling pathways activated through these structures are carefully analyzed.In a stimulating discussion section, the reader's attention is directed to the ‘black holes’ of cell adhesion. Several questions arise. Are multi-molecular structures such as focal adhesions or tight junctions bystanders or crucial players? Do chemokine receptors and adhesion receptors act synergistically in these multi-molecular structures? Although the reader learns that this area of research is poised for integration, how indeed are the different adhesion pathways interconnected? Is there cross-talk among different classes of receptors? Many of these questions remain unanswered – not owing to a weakness of the writers but, rather, to the simple fact that a unifying hypothesis cannot be formulated with current knowledge.In conclusion, this book represents a perfectly edited, outstanding series of review articles in the area of cell-adhesion research; it also provides impressive confocal images of focal adhesions as well as ultrastructural images of adherens junctions, desmosomes, hemidesmosomes and tight junctions. Cell Adhesion is a long-overdue addition to the literature and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.