The testis: a didactic journey from morphogenesis to disease: The Developing Testis: Physiology and Pathophysiology edited by Olle Söder. Karger, 2003. CHF 148.00/EUR105.50/US$128.75 (x+160 pages) ISBN 3 8055 7495 9

View Large Image | Download PowerPoint SlideThe Developing Testis is the fifth book in a series dedicated to presenting overviews of the development of endocrine tissues that merge basic scientific studies with clinical observations. This volume focuses on the developing testis, and has been compiled by a group of scientists and clinicians working in this field. It offers a wide array of subjects related to animal and human testis development and should interest developmental biologists, andrologists and endocrinologists as well as urologists and pediatricians. It is a concise and pleasant book to read, offering an updated review of the most critical aspects of testicular development and associated human pathologies.The first four chapters review general aspects and basic knowledge of testis development, with subsequent chapters introducing the readers to clinical aspects of several testicular pathologies. Although a significant amount of the information presented in the first half of the book has previously been described elsewhere [1xSee all References, 2xSee all References, 3xSee all References], the book offers the convenience of providing most of the essential facts in one place, and the authors have endeavored to update the information provided with studies published in the past two years. Moreover, the developmental events described in these chapters are presented according to the order of their natural occurrence, allowing for easier understanding of the relationships between these events and the various cell types involved. The reader is sequentially introduced to the processes involved in sex determination, pre- and postnatal testicular development, the mechanisms regulating spermatogenesis and the role of apoptosis in these events.It is noteworthy that the presentation of the basic knowledge, mostly established using rodent models, is supplemented with results obtained in primates (including humans) thus broadening the spectrum of interested readers. Once the fundamentals are laid down, readers are presented with specific aspects of the human pathophysiology of testicular development. The pathologies described in this book range from an aberration confined to a single protein, such as gonadotrophin receptor mutations and their associated defects of masculinization, to the failure of the entire organ to properly migrate, as is the case in cryptorchidism.The chapters dedicated to testicular neoplasia are presented as a logical progression of facts, from a comprehensive description of the several types of testicular cancers, to information more pertinent to the clinician, including diagnosis and management of testicular neoplasia. Although the literature cited in these chapters is sometimes more dated, the information provided remains relevant and valuable.The book concludes with a presentation of the latest information available on the fascinating field of germ cells and fertility preservation – critical tools for preventing or treating human infertility associated with cancer treatment. The development of new methods related to in vitro spermatogenesis and germ-cell transplantation technologies are discussed with their advantages, risks and ethical implications.In conclusion, research scientists and clinicians concerned with the field of male reproduction should find easy access to information pertinent to their work from The Developing Testis. This text also provides a useful introduction to several books that explore the analysis of cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in testis development and pathologies in greater depth [4xCrossrefSee all References, 5xSee all References].