Respiratory Physiology: An Analytical Approach

I was fascinated by the micrographs in this atlas. Once I had mastered the viewer, villi sprang from the page, while at the same time I peered into the depths of a mitochondrion. Because each image covers the entire visual field, I often felt as though I were strolling through the cell. I was equally fascinated by the authors' presentation of evidence suggesting that the classical interpretation of the inner membrane of the mitochondrion being folded into shelf-like cristae is wrong; rather, it appears to be folded into tubular structures. That contribution highlights the power of this technique, allowing one to see the whole structure of a cellular component rather than deducing it from micron-thick slices viewed under the microscope. It is equally amazing (and testimony to those who have done this work) that most of those deductions made about the structure of cellular components are correct. This atlas and others soon to follow will be important adjuncts to the teaching of histology. Students will be able to confirm their ability to interpret the three-dimensional structure of the cell from slides. They will receive instant feedback and will be able to learn from their mistakes. A stereoscopic atlas of cellular structure should become an integral part of every histology lab. This comprehensive text is included in the Lung Biology in Health and Disease series. Editors Chang and Paiva have integrated material from 25 contributors into 18 chapters, which provide a complete analytical treatment of pulmonary morphometry and function. This book is by no means an introductory text. Its intent is to apply mathematical analysis and modeling to respiratory physiology. As the majority of contributors have doctoral degrees in engineering and physics, the reader needs a substantial background in mathematics to appreciate much of the material fully. The text is primarily of interest to respiratory physiologists, although clinicians may benefit from the theoretical treatments of certain pathologic conditions such as air flow obstruction, shunting, and pulmonary edema. Sections concerning lung function tests for airway resistance, maximal expiration, and washout methods are also clinically relevant. Each chapter in the text stands as an independent work, as separate chapters are authored by one or a small group of contributors. This method of organization makes the book a particularly good reference. The 18 chapters are devoted to eight major topics in respiratory physiology. Two chapters are concerned with the morphometry of the lung, treating …