Basic Medical Endocrinology, Fourth Edition
Praise for the previous edition:"...clear chapter organization and elegant illustration. It would be a useful purchase for academic and clinical medical libraries, and may be picked up as the primary text for courses in endocrinology at medical schools."-E-STREAMS (2003)"...provides first year medical students with a basic knowledge of normal endocrine physiology a both cellular and molecular levels and prepare them for more advanced studies of endocrine pathology and therapies."-TRENDS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM (September 2003)"...provides a solid overview of endocrine function and control...an introductory text that provides a solid basis of background information for the aspiring clinician, or for students planning to progress in a direction that investigates a broader range of organisms."- GENERAL & COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY (July 2003)"...presents the subject of human endocrinology in a way that actually makes the reader want more...this is an outstanding text for medical students, graduate students, and researchers who need a good reference book in the field."-LIFE SCIENCE BOOK REVIEW (2003)"Basic Medical Endocrinology should provide first year medical students with a basic knowledge of normal endocrine physiology at both cellular and molecular levels and prepare them for more advanced studies of endocrine pathology and therapies."-UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER"The fourth edition of this highly successful textbook continues to have the same focus as previous editions-the integrative and regulatory roles of the endocrine systems, with up-to-date coverage of important advances in cellular and molecular mechanisms.  The integrative focus of this book reflects the over 40 years of experience of the editor with teaching physiology and endocrinology to medical students.  It is precisely the integrative focus that makes this textbook so valuable. The first chapters provide an overview of the principles of hormone structure and function and the roles of the primary endocrine glands. The remaining chapters deal with how hormones serve to regulate complex physiological functions, such as fuel metabolism, regulation of salt and water balance, calcium balance, growth and reproduction. These chapters provide an integrative framework for understanding how these functions respond to challenges from the internal or external environment.Immediately noticeable in the fourth edition is the rich look of the book with its new color figures (300 total) that make many of the illustrations easier to understand.  This book continues to be very readable, concise and provides sufficient basic knowledge of how a particular system works without getting bogged down in the unmanageable details of intracellular signaling cascades or regulation of gene transcription. It provides the framework on which a student can add more complex detail of a specific cell or tissue or of a hormone-related disease. An important change in this book is the increase in coverage of the regulation of fuel metabolism, which is covered in 3 chapters: Hormones of the GI Tract (completely new chapter), The Pancreatic Islets, and Hormonal Regulation of Fuel Metabolism.  This increase in coverage is appropriate and reflects the very strong emphasis on this area of research over the past 10 years.  The increase in obesity and diabetes in our population has provided the stimulus for this research, which has led to a sizable growth in knowledge of this very complex area. Revisions of other chapters capture most new advances, without greatly expanding the length of the text. However, managing this feat requires leaving out some information. For example, there is no mention of the discovery of kisspeptin, which is made in neurons in the hypothalamus. Kisspeptin is now considered to be the primary regulator of GnRH neurons and reproductive function. Also, it is likely that a future edition will consider adipose tissue as an endocrine organ, reflecting the array of hormones synthesized by adipocytes and its importance in glucose homeostasis and the metabolic syndrome.Overall, the textbook is essential for medical students. It also can serve as a valuable resource for an upper level undergraduate course or a first year graduate course."-Endocrine, December 2008