Polypeptide Hormone Receptors

The advent of ultramicroscale purification and analysis technology, along with gene manipulation techniques, has greatly accelerated progress in molecular cell biology. (We used to call this "Biochemistry.") Nowhere is the rate of progress more impressively evident than in the field of hormone receptor study, where the enthusiastic research of numerous investigators is rapidly clarifying structure and function of this important cell constituent. A book summarizing significant studies in such a rapidly expanding field would be useful to researchers as well as to interested bystanders, teachers, and others. Polypeptide Hormone Receptors, edited by B. Posner, covers a number of important subjects, including four chapters on aspects of insulin receptors, a chapter on receptor-mediated uptake of peptide hormones, and chapters on receptors for growth hormone-prolactin, epidermal growth factor-urogastrone, thyrotropin, glucagon, gonadotropins, and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone. An excellent chapter summarizes the numerous so-called gastrointestinal hormones and their receptors. A brief but particularly interesting final chapter on polypeptide hormone receptor-associated disease states in man concludes this 600-page book and demonstrates that advances in receptor technology should lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of certain disease states and perhaps to treatment as well. Unfortunately, a number of other peptide-receptor systems are not included in the text. Only the chapter by Glierman et al. on insulin-receptor interaction considers, in some detail, the kinetics of binding and the problems of interpreting non-linear Scatchard graphs. Klotz's excellent critical evaluation of Scatchard plots as applied to receptor-binding kinetics (Science 220:979, 1983) is not mentioned, nor are other mathematical approaches to making sense out of binding study techniques originally designed to study enzyme-subtrate interactions considered. And what about the paradox that the "strongest" binding sites are considered non-specific, i.e., "irreversible"? Clearly the interpretation of kinetics of receptor-hormone interaction is far from clear and deserves chapters-if not volumes-devoted to this study. Finally, it must be stated that this fine book, though copyrighted in 1985, is three years out of date. Most, if not all, of the chapters appear to have been written in 1981 or 1982. Some have one or two more recent references appended to bibliographiesperhaps to give the impression of timeliness. For example, Posner's chapter, excellent though it is, contains a bibliography of 145 references, 81 dated prior to 1980, 26 each dated 1980 and 1981, nine dated 1982, and none dated 1983, but it concludes with a 1984 reference which, as far as this reader can determine, is not even cited in the text. At $95.00, this outdated book will probably enjoy neither the sales nor attention it would have deservedly received in 1983.