A. Klopper – författare

In July 1978 a group met in Aberdeen to discuss the whole range of new proteins recently isolated from the human placenta. With the exception of Yuri Tatarinov all the main pioneers in the field were present, and this book arose from the discussions which took place. Each author was asked to bring a written man­ uscript corresponding to but not necessarily identical with their verbal presentation. Nobody was given a specified remit, for the reason that the subject is so new that it would be impossible to design the meeting or the book in advance. Each speaker was left free to put on display whatever he thought was interesting or important about the newly isolated proteins. Inevitably this has led to much overlap, since everybody tends to follow the same path at first. Nevertheless, we shall probably never achieve so much agreement again. Only Vernon Stevens was set a fixed title out­ side the immediate field of new placental proteins. This arose from the very exciting possibility that the new proteins could be used to induce an autoimmune state to products of conception and thus serve as the basis for a new method of contraception. There are few findings at present which bear specifically on this proposal, but the experience of Vernon Stevens with hCG could serve as a model of the problems that might be encountered with SP and PAPP-A.

Biochemical tests of fetal well-being (''placental function tests'') have been part of routine obstetric practice for more than twenty years. This book provides an overview of the current status of these tests - the physiological basis for their use, and their advantages and limitations in clinical practice. Considerable attention is given to interpretation, a subject which in the past has led to much confusion both in the scientific literature and in the minds of clinicians. Recent advances are described in detail, in particular the discovery of a whole new generation of placental products some of which offer great promise in the prediction of conditions, such as placental abruption and premature labour, which cannot be identified by any other current parameters. Finally, a set of clear recommendations is put forward for the choice of test in most of the common complications of both early and late pregnancy. The emphasis throughout is on how the basic biology of fetoplacental products dictates their use and interpretation in pathological conditions.

Research on Steroids contains the proceedings of the Fourth Meeting of the International Study Group for Steroid Hormones. The papers explore the production, chemical characterization, and metabolism of steroid hormones and their interactions with proteins. Topics range from the action of estradiol in vitro to water-soluble metabolites of estrogens, transport of steroids by proteins, and immunological aspects of steroid hormones. The binding of steroids by tissue proteins is also discussed, along with the use of specific plasma proteins for the determination of steroids. This volume is comprised of 38 chapters and begins with an overview of the general aspects of steroid-protein interaction, followed by a discussion on quantitative studies of steroid binding proteins; aromatization of testosterone by human placenta enzymes; relationship between plasma binding and 5α-reduction of testosterone; cortisol-binding capacity of plasma transcortin in subjects treated with various anabolic steroids; and plasma testosterone binding capacity and estrogen excretion in normal and pathological pregnancies. Subsequent chapters deal with the interaction between estrogenic and carcinogenic substances in the rat mammary gland; influence of steroid production on serum albumin in Cushing''s syndrome; and nuclear estradiol binding proteins in the uterus. This book will be of interest to biochemists, biologists, and physiologists.

In July 1978 a group met in Aberdeen to discuss the whole range of new proteins recently isolated from the human placenta. With the exception of Yuri Tatarinov all the main pioneers in the field were present, and this book arose from the discussions which took place. Each author was asked to bring a written man­ uscript corresponding to but not necessarily identical with their verbal presentation. Nobody was given a specified remit, for the reason that the subject is so new that it would be impossible to design the meeting or the book in advance. Each speaker was left free to put on display whatever he thought was interesting or important about the newly isolated proteins. Inevitably this has led to much overlap, since everybody tends to follow the same path at first. Nevertheless, we shall probably never achieve so much agreement again. Only Vernon Stevens was set a fixed title out­ side the immediate field of new placental proteins. This arose from the very exciting possibility that the new proteins could be used to induce an autoimmune state to products of conception and thus serve as the basis for a new method of contraception. There are few findings at present which bear specifically on this proposal, but the experience of Vernon Stevens with hCG could serve as a model of the problems that might be encountered with SP and PAPP-A.