BOOK REVIEWS

Biological Electron Microscopy: Theory, Techniques and Troubleshooting

by MICHAEL J. DYKSTRA Plenum Publishing Corporation. 360pp. Hardback. $49.59 ($59.40 outside the United States and Canada) (1992)

also

A Manual of Applied Techniques for Biological Electron Microscopy

by MICHAEL J. DYKSTRA Plenum Publishing Corporation. 257pp. Paperback. $35.00 ($42.00 outside the United States and Canada) (1993)

Recent books on electron microscopy range from small elementary introductions to the subject, to medium length detailed scientific texts, through to the very large almost encyclopedic laboratory manuals and series of books. The two books from Michael J. Dykstra fall somewhere in between the two extremes, with respect to length, detail and price, perhaps leaning somewhat towards the intro- ductory side of the subjects in general.

Firstly, I will consider the (1993) book A Manual of Applied Techniques for Biological Electron Microscopy. As a paperback laboratory manual, and the more elementary of the two books, it is clearly directed towards the beginner in the routine EM laboratory. Its spiral bound format certainly facilitates easy laboratory use, as the book opens flat. The good quality gloss paper, whilst of some benefit for the half-tone figures, has undoubtedly increased the price. The 256 pages of the book contain outlines of most of the fundamental techniques and processes for performing thin sectioning of tissues and cell suspensions, together with the techniques for preparing specimens from particulates. The book is well structured and is illustrated with numerous diagrams and photo- graphs describing technical procedures, together with a few electron micrographs. Individual chapters are devoted to: Specimen Preparation; Sectioning Methods; Specialized SEM Procedures; Section Staining Pro- cedures; Support Films; Negative Staining; Preparation of Viral Samples for TEM; Vacuum Evaporation; Films and Photographic Methods. Cytochemical Techniques and Autoradiography. Thus, it can reasonably be claimed that an introduction is given to most of the important technical procedures required to perform biological electron microscopy, and in many areas it undoubtedly goes beyond the introductory stage. All procedures are

clearly described and it is maintained that their tried and tested success is based upon the laboratory experience of the author and his colleagues over many years. Examples of the 'results expected' are given, together with 'caution- ary statements'. A few references to other books and original articles are included. Five short appendices deal with Computing Micrometer Bar Sizes, Calibrating the TEM and SEM, Materials and Methods Write-up Suggestions for Standard TEM and SEM Preparations, Safety and Electron Microscopy Supplies.

Turning to the (1992) hardback book Biological Electron Microscopy: Theory, Techniques and Trouble- shooting we find for most topics a somewhat more comprehensive coverage and greater detail than in the paperback manual. Immediately, one is impressed with the large number of figures (some 175), which undoub- tedly add significantly to this book. Again there are many line diagrams and technical photographs, a few identical to those used in the (1993) book, but here there are a large number of useful electron micrographic examples of different specimen preparations and their associated problems. The book contents are as follows: Specimen Preparation for Transmission Electron Microscopy; Ultramicrotomy; Support Films; Transmission Electron Microscopy; Vacuum Systems; Staining Methods for Semithins and Ultrathins; Photography; Replicas, Shad- owing, and Cryotechniques; High-Voltage Electron Microscopy; Negative Staining; Scanning Electron Microscopy; Microanalysis; Cytochemistry; Immuno- cytochemistry; Autoradiography, Computer-Assisted Imaging; Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and its Deriva- tives. Thus, it is clear that almost all aspects of electron microscopy are covered in this book, but in reality some are actually given very little space. Negative staining

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