Symposium reports 



62. 



J. H. COGGIN, Jr. and N. G. ANDERSON, eds. 1976. SYMPOSIUM CANCER AND 

 CHEMISTRY, part of the Fourth Conference on embryonic and fetal antigens in cancer 

 Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore. Cancer Research, vol 36, 9, pt. 2. 164 pp., 69 charts, 41 

 figs., 66 tabs. $ 8.00 



This symposium was held in Charleston, S. C. in November 1976. It was concerned 

 with the relationships between cancer and normal development, particularly their bio- 

 chemical and genetic aspects. 



The reviews and research reports of most general scope, and therefore of greatest inte- 

 rest to mammaUan and other embryologists, are those in the first two sessions (4 papers 

 each): Molecular basis for programming in development, and Embryonic and fetal devel- 

 opment. The remaining sessions deal with Relationships between shared tumor and fetal 

 products. Antigenic determinants of colonic cancers, and Tumor antigens and embryonic 

 antigens on neoplasms. The volume is well illustrated. 



63. 



W. H. FISHMAN and S. SELL, eds. 1976. REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION IN 



DEVELOPMENT AND NEOPLASIA 



Amer. Assoc, for Cancer Res., Bethesda. Cancer Research, vol. 36, 11, pt. 2., 131 pp., 

 106 figs., 25 tabs. 



The borderland between cancer and normal development is becoming a more and more 

 important area. The present symposium, held at Santa Ynez, CaUf. in July 1976, was 

 devoted to this area. The participants were predominantly American (with two from Paris 

 and two from Japan). Of the 19 contributions four are reviews while two are theoretical 

 in nature. 



The papers of most direct interest to our readers are in part one: Model systems for 

 the study of oncodevelopmental gene expression; this is in two sections, one dealing with 

 murine teratocarcinoma (5 papers) and one with neoplastic transformation (6 papers). 

 The so-called oncodevelopmental gene products appear again and again in the discussions. 

 The eight papers in part two deal with Molecular mechanisms of gene regulation. Among 

 them is a new model for the control of transcription during development involving small 

 RNA chains. The issue is profusely illustrated. 



REGENERATION, RENEWAL 



Textbooks 



64. 



P. MATTSON. 1976. REGENERATION 



Bobbs-Merrill, Indianapolis. XIV, 178 pp., 52 figs., subject index. $ 4.95 (paper) 



This little book was written for the educated layman. It is therefore highly selective, 

 avoids some of the more abstruse problems such as modulation/dedifferentiation and pat- 

 tern formation, and places much emphasis on the possible applications of regeneration 

 results in medicine. Nevertheless, the treatment is scientifically rigorous. The author 

 writes interestingly and avoids jargon. 



The book is restricted almost entirely to present-day regeneration research in the 

 U. S. A., apart from a useful chapter on Russian work. Another feature is a special chapter 

 on regeneration in plants. 



The book is well illustrated. It has a list of Scientific American articles and extensively 

 annotated book titles. 



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