Book review

Volume 2 of Soares and Hunt's “Placenta and Trophoblast: Methods and Protocols” has appeared one year after volume 1. This volume, perhaps more than the first one, is a sum of the principal methods used in the four major areas of placental research: differentiation/invasion, immunology, endocrinology and transport/metabolism. Volume 2 is structured accordingly and also provides some chapters dealing with the adaptation of placenta to disease (mainly preeclampsia).

Each part is composed of several chapters, each one describing in details methods and protocols. These descriptions are framed by an interesting introduction and followed by notes. The notes are of considerable help to the reader often inexperienced in the method described.

Methods for studying trophoblast invasion include in vivo aspects such as interpretation of histological observations, and several in vitro aspects dealing with explants or cells invading matrices or endothelia. Purification of cytotrophoblast cells is not included since this aspect has been dealt with in volume 1.

The third part covers the immunological aspects of pregnancy and describes protocols for the purification of different lymphomyeloid cell lineages from endometrium or placenta. This part also contains two chapters dealing with the methodology used to evaluate histocompatibility antigens.

Part four comprises 12 chapters considering almost all methodological aspects involved in studies concerning transport of nutrients and waste, placental metabolism and endocrinology.

Finally, the last part of volume 2 describes the techniques used to produce a hypoxic environment to cells or animals and proposes means to evaluate the effects of oxidative stress or hypoxia.

Clearly, both volumes of Soares and Hunt's “Placenta and Trophoblast: Methods and Protocols” fill a need. Placentologists will be more than happy to have a methodological reference book written by experts in the field. I am sure that these volumes will not be hidden in a departmental library, but will be shelved in the research lab, accessible to everyone.