This large book is by far the best current source about research involving sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs). The 31 chapters encompass all aspects of SCE research, including historical review, methodologic aspects, mechanisms of origin of SCEs, the frequency of SCEs in different human tissues and among different species, the effect of physical and biologic agents on the frequency of SCEs, SCEs in various clinical states, the effect of drugs on the frequency of SCEs, and the usefulness of SCE studies in public health. Each of the 39 contributors is a prominent investigator in the field.
The publication of this book is an important and timely event. SCEs have been and still are of great interest in various areas of research and in numerous medical fields. Many reports on SCEs have been published, but they are scattered in many different journals. This text incorporates all of the available information about SCEs. Much of the book is easy and interesting to read, and it provides the reader with the basic information about SCEs. In addition, the book contains a wealth of valuable references. For example, one chapter contains a table that lists the SCE frequency for more than 400 chemicals tested for mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. The reference material alone makes this book a worthwhile investment for years to come.
This book also contributes to the knowledge of SCEs because of its organization and comprehensiveness. It contains an account of the history of SCE methodology, beginning in 1957 with the work of J.H. Taylor (who used [3H]thymidine) and progresses to a description of more modern methods involving thymidine analogues, such as 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). Details for a variety of methods of studying SCEs are elaborated in several chapters and technical problems and difficulties with