The Cell: A Molecular Approach, Second Edition

The field of cell biology is changing so rapidly that cell textbooks often face obsolescence even before hitting the shelves. In response, some authors attempt to cope with explosion in cellular knowledge by including as many mechanisms and details as possible, which may satisfy the discriminating technical user who wants the most current findings. However, for the beginning student, the lucent and concise explanations of the general concepts in the second edition of The Cell: A Molecular Approach, published in 2000, offers a great course text for an introductory cell biology course. The strength of Cooper's text is found in its coherent voice that is often found in single-author books. In the field of cell biology, specialization is stressed so it is not uncommon to find textbooks written by multiple authors. Although the multi-author approach offers an expert view on individual subjects, it sometimes lacks the interconnections that a single talented author may gracefully make. Compared to the first edition, the second edition of The Cell retains the organization , themes, and special features of the original, but it has been completely updated in major areas of scientific progress, including: genome analysis; chromatin and transcription; nuclear transport; protein sorting and trafficking; signal trans-duction; the cell cycle; and programmed cell death. However, when comparing the second edition of The Cell with books such as Lodish's Molecular Biology of the Cell, it becomes clear that advanced students , even those taking an introductory biology course, The Cell lacks the depth and detail that an exacting student may demand. The text's lack of depth may leave some students with unanswered questions. Perhaps the book may be best complemented with a good molecular biology textbook. The extra explanations can make up for the missing depth of Cooper's text. Finally, many other cell biology textbooks offer accompanying CD-ROMs that animate the processes that govern life. Specifically, the use of Flash-enabled ani-mations that would bring to life The Cell's clear colorful and diagrams would be a definite welcome supplement to the next edition of The Cell.