Customer Reviews (56)

great new edition
this has everything the 4th edition had plus the latest discoveries within the past 5 years.

Great, but Last 5 Chapters are Electronic
GREAT book, but the only problem is that the last 5 chapters are in PDF format on an attached CD rather than in print (they did this to make the book more portable).If you want the full print version, buy the Reference edition.

what you want is the fourth edition
I'm sure this book was great in the 90s, but this is the 21st century, when you can buy the fourth edition.There has been a ton of advancement between 1994 and 2002.

This is a GREAT textbook
This book made studying and preparing for tests easy and enjoyable. Highly recommended, especially for those who are going to take the GRE Subject test. At later stages of your career, textbooks even the greatest ones will be largely irrelevant, as you will have to search for up-to-date articles and reviews.

A perfect introduction to the subject
I will say that I had no trouble in reading and understanding this book. All subjects are nicely elaborated and picturized with detailed schematics or with electron microscopy pictures. Scanning electron pictures are the best but very minimal.All basic concepts are covered structure of cell, protein synthesis, DANA , cell structures,nerve cells, atp, etc. You may want to skip better books when it comes to biochemistry or developmental biology but this book gives smooth introduction all subjects and than you make your direction. Compared to book written by Karp, I prefer this one for wider coverage but Karp has some sections called "experimental pathways" that open your vision to latest developments. ... Read more

Book Description
Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fourth Edition: A Problems Approach is designed to help students appreciate the ways in which experiments and simple calculations can lead to an understanding of how cells work. Chapters are subdivided as in Molecular Biology of the Cell and provide a review of key terms, test for understanding basic concepts, and research-based problems. Chapters 1-8 and 10-18 from Molecular Biology of the Cell are covered in this way.
The new edition of A Problems Approach (formerly titled The Problems Book) is completely reorganized and revised to match the Fourth Edition of Molecular Biology of the Cell. Detailed answers are provided in the book for half the problems to help students learn how to analyze experimental observations and draw conclusions from them. Problems without the solution contained in the book are useful for homework assignments and as exam questions. Answers to these problems are provided to instructors upon request. ... Read more

Book Description
Essential Cell Biology, Second Edition contains basic, core knowledge about how cells work. It has a proven track record in providing students with a conceptual and accessible grounding in cell biology. The text and figures have been prepared to be easy-to-follow, accurate, clear and engaging for the introductory student. Each section follows logically from the previous one, telling a story, rather than being a collection of facts. Questions integrated throughout each chapter encourage the reader to pause, think about what they have read, and attempt to apply the new knowledge in ways that test their understanding. Based on user feedback, the Second Edition now offers increased coverage of genetics and more experimental background. It is completely up-to-date. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

essential cell biology, 2nd ed.
I was satisfied with time it took to receive the book and the book was in excellent condition.

Bio 218 book
came as expected..nice, new.
good book for details of biology. figures and pictures sup up the chapters and major sections

essential cell bio text
bought essential cell bio for school. excellent. just like in ad. thank you very much!

Mwentzler
Is an read easy and understandable read. Explains all topics very thoroughly yet in a clear concise manner especially for a biology text book.

Very good book
It's kind of hard to judge a textbook, especially when you're a student. But i can honestly say that this book is very straight forward. The diagrams are great, and especially if you read the diagrams as you're reading the book, they add a lot of depth and diversity to the reading. The text itself is not mundane...you won't fall asleep reading it. The CD it comes with is nice....but i tend not to use it that much...all it is, is just video clips. Overall i'd say this is one of the best, if not THE best, biology book i've used.

HOWEVER! Remember that this IS a bio book and it DOES get a little tedious at points ... Read more

Customer Reviews (44)

Better
This is the second copy of this book that I have (the first being the 5th ed.). It seems that the authors cannot settle on a cohesive system in which to arrange the material. Like the 5th ed., I think that the material does not follow a logical course of organization (but admittedly better than the last ed.). Nevertheless, the material presented is of good quality being that it is easy to understand and difficult to become lost in the material. Overall, it is a good book.

Really Fast
The book was delivered the second day after booked on the net, and in a fair price.

great merchant, item came as described
The seller sent my item quickly and it arrived exactly as it was described. Thank!

Operating compatability
A well priced product and from its description ideal for lecture purposes.
Unfortunately it does not work using Windows Media Player, Nero Showtime or Open Source media player on my computer using Windows XP.
Amazon returns system worked well with full refund but I would have liked a version that worked.

review on STUDY GUIDE
after being utterly discusted with this poor excuse of a study guide, i thought i would read some horrible reviews on the guide to make me feel better. to my dismay, people can't read and they only posted reviews for the text book, which is actually good but those reviews should be posted elsewhere.

You know there is something wrong with this guide when you see them call CH3-CH3 methane (pg 3 not to mention they got linoleic and linolenic mixed up) or on the multiple choice on page 19 has ribosomes as one of the right answers for proteins involved in transcription.

i have not done a lot of the questions in the book and all ready i see errors on every second page. i wonder if i will actually recieve lower grades if i study from this poorly written book.

I love study guides and have used them for stewert's calculus, campbell's biology and bruice's organic chemistry in college. were there some occasional mistakes... yes but overall they were good. this study manual however seems to have been written by a tribe of wild monkeys pounding on a keyboard. Save your 23 dollars ... Read more

Book Description
For sophomore/junior-level courses in cell biology offered out of molecular and/or cell biology departments.
Cell and Molecular Biology gives students the tools they need to understand the science behind cell biology. Karp explores core concepts in considerable depth, and presents experimental detail when it helps to explain and reinforce the concept being explained. This fifth edition continues to offer an exceedingly clear presentation and excellent art program, both of which have received high praise in prior editions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Comprehensive without being overwhelming
The book looks suspiciously skinny for a cell biology book but it really is so well written that the author made it comprehensive without being too wordy. Although lots of people swear by the Molecular Biology of the Cell, 4th Edition (Bruce Alberts et al... and I own that one too), I found it too wordy and not as fun to read. This book however is lucidly written and has everything that a graduate student or senior undergrad would need to know in Cell Biology.

I used Cell and Molecular Biology (I just called it Gerald Karp after the author) extensively during my undergrad and am still using it in graduate school (I'm getting my Masters in Microbiology).

Cell and Molecular Biology by Gerald Karp is surpassed only in diagram clarity and simplicity by Cooper and Hausman's "The Cell: A Molecular Approach" which has the best diagrams of all cell biology textbooks but is slightly less comprehensive (I own that one too!). The book is neatly arranged and the continuity of topics within a chapter and from chapter to chapter is very good unlike Molecular Biology of the Cell, 4th Edition.

Although sold separately for something like $38.00, the book has an associated study workbook sort of thing with it that is pretty good for testing your knowledge in the important and tricky concepts. For every chapter in the textbook there is a section of multiple choice questions, a section of experimental-data interpretation questions, a section of thought questions, and explain the role of each of the following" type questions. All questions except the thought questions come with answers. And there is a review of the key topics in the textbook for every chapter. I would greatly recommend buying the text and the study book together, especially if you're gearing to take exams like the Subject GRE.

An excellent introductory book
I've come to appreciate this book more and more over its succeeding editions. It has now replaced both the Alberts et al. and the Lodish et al. books (both nevertheless excellent) as my favorite textbook on cell and molecular biology.

It is concise, covers a very large range of subjects and has very clear graphics. I think it is better balanced than many of its competitors in the sense that the reader never gets the impression that the author sacrificed certain subjects to give more room to his favorite ones. On many occasions, I was surprised to find things in here that I couldn't find in the bigger (and more "fundamental") Alberts and Lodish.

It references papers and review articles that are very current, and is very up to date on its content.

I think Gerald Karp is doing a very good job with each new iteration of this book and I will recommend it to my students.

Excellent book!!
This is one of the most complete and easy-to-read book ever! I have studied with Gerald Karp books since I was an undergraduate student (Biochemistry, and Karp book was always by my side, very useful). This book explain the cellular metabolism, structures (cytoskeleton, microtubules, filaments,genes,relations between genes and proteins, DNA repair, cell cycle, cell signalling, lot of concepts that are not easy to understand at first, Karp does it very simple. You will love this book. I can strongly recommend it. Another excellent book I can recommend is Molecular Biology of the CELL by Bruce Alberts....is excellent! and before you take an exam, I will suggest the "Outline of Molecular and Cell Biology" by the Schaum's series. Well, that's it for now, I wish you the best in your career (I have been there, I know how hard it can be and choose the proper books!) and always remember, keep working and practicing, because practice make the Master!! :)
Your friend,
Laura Fazio
MSc Immunology - Biochemist

Great job
The book was in great condition.Seller let me know that the book was in the mail which was nice.

Concise story of cell biology
Another introductory book in the biology of the cell. I would say that the book is divided into mainly two sections, Cell structure and DANA, DANA replications etc. Second part takes almost two thirds of the book. I would prefer to read other Gene books when it comes to that point but for the cell structure, it is not bad. Some colored pictures, computer animations makes it easy to visualize things. Sections called "experimental pathways" scattered throughout the text takes you into current issues related to the subject. They are also quite sophisticated issues rather than practical problems. I think this book requires considerable guidance when read alone. I could not call this book as self sufficient or easy to read one compared to books by Alberts or Baltimore. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book
This is a great book, and gets better with each edition.If you are taking cell biology out of MBOTC, and don't have this book, you're playing with one hand tied behind your back.And if you're just reading MBOTC for fun, get this book, do the problems, and you'll learn more than you would in many University level cell biology courses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Books available online
Dr Dotson's comments on the price of textbooks are well taken, but he maybe should have mentioned that the previous (4th) edition of MBOTC was available online for free for at least the last two years, at
[...]
along with many other fine health science and molecular biology books, many of them the most recent edition, some down loadable as PDFs.

It remains to be seen if Bruce Alberts can prevail on Garland to make the current edition available on line as well.

It may also be worth mentioning that selling used textbooks online through Amazon is very easy, and if you sell them before a new edition comes out, you often can recoup 1/3 to 1/2 of original purchase price.So as soon as you know that one of those expensive tomes on your shelf is a dog, list it online immediately while it still has value.And if on the other hand you know you will have to get the new edition of a book when it is available, dump the previous edition just before a new one is due, and use the money toward the new edition.

another part of the problem with academic book publishing
The publishers have made the standard edition (ISBN-10: 0815341059) of MBOTC more "portable" by not printing the final 5 chapters of the book, but including them as electronic files on the DVD.While these chapters are included, in print, in this reference edition (0815341113), take a look at the price differential between the two.If, as publishers might like us to believe, portability is such a great feature for a textbook, then why should students be expected to pay a premium for this less than portable reference edition?

The chapters in question are:
21-Sexual Reproduction: Meiosis, Germ Cells, and Fertilization
22-Development of Multicellular Organisms
23-Specialized Tissues, Stem Cells, and Tissue Renewal
24-Pathogens, Infection, and Innate Immunity
25-The Adaptive Immune System

With the 4th edition there were 25 printed chapters and 1616 pages: $5.68/printed chapter, or ~8.8 cents/page based on my calculations using list price info.With the regular 5th edition, 20 printed chapters, 1268 pages: $7.10/printed chapter, or ~11.2 cents/page. And with the reference edtition, 25 printed chapters and 1728 pages: $8.36/printed chapter, or ~12.1 cents/page.So the page cost for this reference edition has increased by over 1/3 as compared to the last edition, and is about 8% higher than for the regular 5th edition.Admittedly, I am a major geek for actually doing these calculations.

I am giving the book 2 stars for content, because it really is a solid resource for learning molecular biology.However, with so many students carrying a heavy burden of debt upon graduation, it's a shame to see the continuing trend of exorbitant prices for the best texts, making them just another contributor to the problems with education today.

Masterpiece Text for Molecular Biology
I love reading but being an MD I find myself recently hovering around molecular biology books (a subject which I feel very week in).Well this morning I completed a 2 week Odyssey of reading this magnificent text.Full of wonderful colorful diagrams with vivid explanations have made this subject readily discoverable for me some 15 years after med school.Technology galore should be the caption for this book.It is amazing and how clever these scientist have become in examining the cell.Obviously the mega geniuses currently reside in this field of science and medicine with the recent completion of the Human Genome.Science now is so sophisticated as compared to 1991 when I graduated Med School it humbles me to think that I can still decipher these methods of investigation with PCA etc.Any well versed pre med student will need to read diligently and research their biochemistry and Protein Structure for this Three dimensional explanation of Molecular Biology but once achieved you will feel like an ocean of knowledge awaits your imagination.I can tell you were I in Med school now i would have done some summer time project in the molecular biology division at my school because the nuances of this field are so full of imagery.Like a great novel or movie.Each way we trick the body into not or into investigating itself is so insightful I never would have thought of these investigatory principles.This is a straightforward and well designed text.I will reread it this summer.Perhaps I should look for a grant to do some Female Pelvic Floor Molecular Biology but I will need to find a good PhD to help guide the projects I am thinking of.Yes, I know someone to actually do the experiments while i get the right tissue in the operating room and fund these ideas.Good reading is here for the professional or aspiring scientist or physician.They should require all surgeons to have to read or take a molecular biology course every 10 years.It really opens your horizons of investigation and thought processes. ... Read more

Book Description
A masterful introduction to the cell biology that you need to know! This critically acclaimed text offers you a modern and unique approach to the study of cell biology. It emphasizes that cellular structure, function, and dysfunction ultimately result from specific macromolecular interactions. You'll progress from an explanation of the "hardware" of molecules and cells to an understanding of how these structures function in the organism in both healthy and diseased states. The exquisite art program helps you to better visualize molecular structures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Cell Biology Textbook
It is one of the greatest Cell Biology textbooks. Very well written, nice examples and amazing illustrations. I highly recommend it to the graduate and undergrad students.
Two Thumbs Up !!

A Necessary Resource
Any biology student or aficionado will find that this book is one of his or her most valuable guides and resources.The text is clearly-written and very up-to-date, and the rich illustrations, diagrams, and charts that accompany it are truly second-to-none.Even if you don't need it for a class, find a copy and browse - chances are you'll like it enough to consider buying it for your own reference.

A great Cell Biology book
I used this book in an undergraduate Cell and Molecular Biology course in the University of Puerto Rico. It is an excellent book because it presents a lot of information as well as a lot of different examples that support that information. It is full of diagrams, pictures and tables that helped me understood all the key concepts.

Wonderful
It's agreat book.I reccomend this book for all udergraduated students.It's awesome. ... Read more

Book Description
This completely revised and updated review book consolidates the most important clinical issues that medical students need to know to be prepared for questions on USMLE Step 1. The book reviews key cell biology concepts needed to study molecular biology, and reviews the key concepts of molecular biology necessary for clinical medical practice. Flow charts provide a clear overview of molecular biology techniques and how they are applied in medicine. A chapter on understanding the research literature provides a solid background in molecular biology protocol so that students can understand the purpose and thinking behind published research articles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

#1 tool for step 1
I'm a IMG studying for step 1.So far the best tool for studying the topics for step 1 in genetics and mollecular biology.Having already taken and failed step 1 I recommend this book for everyone specially IMG as a very useful and complete material for the test.It gives you just what you need and is far more complete in this matter than First Aid(althought I love the later for review)

Did not like this book at all!
I only read the first 2 chapters, but it was enough to make me turn to another molecular bio source! This book is EXTREMELY detailed. I mean, really --- do you really need to know difference between all of the different types of spinocerebellar ataxia for the boards? How about 30+ different ion transporters throughout the body? This book might work if you're good at filtering out unnecessary detail --- but doesn't that defeat the purpose of a board review book? For Step 1, I ended up using the previous edition of HY Cell and Molecular Bio, and it was perfect. A quick read, but just enough detail to get me through the molecular questions on Step 1. Good luck!

Good boards review
My medical school mol and cell bio courses didn't emphasize the same concepts that I think the boards (Step I) cares about.I'm not sure this book is totally worth $30, but the section about mol and cell bio in First Aid was sparse (especially about diseases).A lot of these diseases come up again in organ system pathology.Nevertheless, I thought it was a nice to approach medical conditions from the angle of molecular biology.For example, it's a good review excercise to look at all the different kinds of cellular receptors and get clinical highlights (ie: associated pharmacology or diseases).I basically used it as a quick read, and I will review the sections that I am weaker at in more detail."Upperclassmen" have stated that the boards tends to emphasize receptors and signalling pathways, and I found this book to be a good resource for those topics.

As far as learning actual mol/cell bio - this is a typical HighYield book - no frills, outline format.I think it'd be really advantageous to have familiarity with all the basic concepts before using this book.For example, it's not a good place to learn how meiosis works.

By the way, the binding is terrible.My book fell apart after I used it for less than a week (granted it was super-intense all day studying, but still!) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (44)

Better
This is the second copy of this book that I have (the first being the 5th ed.). It seems that the authors cannot settle on a cohesive system in which to arrange the material. Like the 5th ed., I think that the material does not follow a logical course of organization (but admittedly better than the last ed.). Nevertheless, the material presented is of good quality being that it is easy to understand and difficult to become lost in the material. Overall, it is a good book.

Really Fast
The book was delivered the second day after booked on the net, and in a fair price.

great merchant, item came as described
The seller sent my item quickly and it arrived exactly as it was described. Thank!

Operating compatability
A well priced product and from its description ideal for lecture purposes.
Unfortunately it does not work using Windows Media Player, Nero Showtime or Open Source media player on my computer using Windows XP.
Amazon returns system worked well with full refund but I would have liked a version that worked.

review on STUDY GUIDE
after being utterly discusted with this poor excuse of a study guide, i thought i would read some horrible reviews on the guide to make me feel better. to my dismay, people can't read and they only posted reviews for the text book, which is actually good but those reviews should be posted elsewhere.

You know there is something wrong with this guide when you see them call CH3-CH3 methane (pg 3 not to mention they got linoleic and linolenic mixed up) or on the multiple choice on page 19 has ribosomes as one of the right answers for proteins involved in transcription.

i have not done a lot of the questions in the book and all ready i see errors on every second page. i wonder if i will actually recieve lower grades if i study from this poorly written book.

I love study guides and have used them for stewert's calculus, campbell's biology and bruice's organic chemistry in college. were there some occasional mistakes... yes but overall they were good. this study manual however seems to have been written by a tribe of wild monkeys pounding on a keyboard. Save your 23 dollars ... Read more

Book Description

Boiled-down essentials of the top-selling Schaum's Outline series, for the student with limited time

What could be better than the bestselling Schaum's Outline series? For students looking for a quick nuts-and-bolts overview, it would have to be Schaum's Easy Outline series. Every book in this series is a pared-down, simplified, and tightly focused version of its bigger predecessor. With an emphasis on clarity and brevity, each new title features a streamlined and updated format and the absolute essence of the subject, presented in a concise and readily understandable form. Graphic elements such as sidebars, reader-alert icons, and boxed highlights feature selected points from the text, illuminate keys to learning, and give students quick pointers to the essentials.

Customer Reviews (3)

Concise, but brevity causes loss of glossary
I needed a primer for biochemistry and upon Amazon search with "primer biochemistry" I came across this.Honestly, it hasn't proven more helpful that the chapter 1 introduction in my textbook yet.I've given 3 stars because I've yet to see how uniquely this book has supplemented my understanding, especially since there is no glossary for all the vocabulary in bold print.If I don't get something from context, I have to go elsewhere.On the other hand, it is brief, to the point, and inexpensive so I don't rate it less.

Great for review, but not very much cell bio
I love this book! It's so easy to read and it provides a good review for students taking molecular biology. However, I wouldn't recommend it as a resource for someone who is just starting to learn. The writing style assumes that you know the basic concepts already and sometimes skims through material quickly. However, I would have to say that this book is very readable and contains some excellent illustrations.

However, my one complaint is the lack of coverage of cell biology. This book seems, frankly, to be almost all molecular biology. It lacks any sort of discussion about actin, microtubules, and so on. I find that disappointing, but I understand that it's a "quick outline."

Great book for reference and quick brush-up
I bought this book so I would not have to shuffle through the pages of my cell/molucular bio textbook. Although this book was great with having the main concepts, there wasn't much detail. But that is the purpose of the book- to have the main molecular biology topics in a clear and organized manner. For more detail and test questions get the full outline book from the same series. If you just want the info you need to know this book is outstanding! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

THE BEST!!
If u are a layman and want to know about the fascinating world of
cell biology, this is THE book to get!! It teaches u nearly everything from scratch (it starts from an atom's structure!!)and
very gently and lucidly leads you through the awesome workings of
the cell. Get through this book and u can easily & painlessly tackle ANY other magnum opus book like Lehninger, MBoC by Alberts or Lodish etc. ITS SIMPLY WONDERFUL!! THE BEST THAT IS OUT THERE!! You get to know all the important fundamental things about cells and more!! The new How We Know sections explain how
molecular biologists performed experiments and came to the conclusions they came. JUST GET THIS BOOK. YOU PROBABLY WON'T FIND A BETTER INTRODUCTORY BOOK ON CELL BIOLOGY!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

too many typos, bad editing
Book has good information, but there are too many typos, and definitions can be vague at times.Typos make it hard to read in some parts.Text often refers to figures or diagrams that have no relevance to the context, which makes it confusing and frustrating.Probably not the authors fault, but the editing is horrible. ... Read more

Book Description
For sophomore/junior-level courses in cell biology offered out of molecular and/or cell biology departments.
Cell and Molecular Biology gives students the tools they need to understand the science behind cell biology. Karp explores core concepts in considerable depth, and presents experimental detail when it helps to explain and reinforce the concept being explained. This fifth edition continues to offer an exceedingly clear presentation and excellent art program, both of which have received high praise in prior editions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

What A book
Great book, especially those looking for help on the GRE Subject Test and even the MCAT...From Fibronectins to SDS and reduction of electron carriers, this book is a must have! ... Read more

Book Description
This textbook provides an introduction to dynamic modeling in cell biology, emphasizing computational approaches based on realistic molecular mechanisms.It is designed to introduce cell biology and neuroscience students to computational modeling, and applied mathematics students, theoretical biologists, and engineers to many of the problems in dynamical cell biology. This volume was conceived of and begun by Professor Joel Keizer based on his many years of teaching and research together with his colleagues. The project was expanded and finished by his students and friends after his untimely death in 1999. Carefully selected examples are used to motivate the concepts and techniques of computational cell biology, through a progression of increasingly more complex and demanding cases. Illustrative exercises are included with every chapter, and mathematical and computational appendices are provided for reference. This textbook will be useful for advanced undergraduate and graduate theoretical biologists, and for mathematics students and life scientists who wish to learn about modeling in cell biology.Royalties from this book will be donated to the Joel E. Keizer memorial endowment for collaborative interdisciplinary research in the life sciences. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent overview
As a field of applied mathematics, computational biology has exploded in the last decade, and shows every sign of increasing in the next. This book overviews a few of the topics in the computational modeling of cells. I only read chapters 12 and 13 on molecular motors, and so my review will be confined to these.

Nanotechnology could be described as an up-and-coming field, but in the natural world one can find examples of this technology that surpass greatly what has been accomplished by human engineers. The authors begin their articles with a few examples of natural molecular machines, including the "rotary motors" DNA helicase and bacteriophage, and the "linear motor" kinesin, the latter they refer to as a "walking enzyme". Important in the modeling of all these is the theory of stochastic processes in the guise of Brownian motion, which the authors hold is the key to understanding the mechanics of proteins. In chapter 12 they give a detailed overview of the mathematical modeling of protein dynamics, followed in chapter 13 by an illustration of the mathematical formalism in the bacterial flagellar motor, a polymerization ratchet, and a motor governing ATP synthase.

To the authors a molecular motor is an entity that converts chemical energy into mechanical force. The production of mechanical force though may involve intermediate steps of energy transduction, all these involving the release of free energy during binding events. But due to their size, molecular motors are subjected to thermal fluctuations, and thus to model their motion accurately requires the theory of stochastic processes. Thus the authors begin a study of stochastic processes, restricting their attention to ones that satisfy the Markov property. Starting with a discrete model of protein motion as a simple random walk, the authors show that the variance of the motion grows linearly with time, which is a sign of diffusive motion. The partial differential equation satisfied by the probability distribution function, in the continuous limit where the space and time scales are large enough, is left to the reader to derive as an exercise.

The authors then consider polymer growth as another example of a stochastic process, a kind of hybrid one in that it involves both discrete and continuous random variables, the position of the polymer being continuous, while the number of monomers in the polymer is discrete. The authors derive an ordinary differential equation for the probability of there being exactly n polymers at a particular time. From this they show how to obtain sample paths for polymer growth and give a brief discussion on the statistics of polymer growth.

Attention is then turned to the modeling of molecular motions, with the first example being the Brownian motion of proteins in aqueous solutions. The (stochastic) Langevin equation is given for the motion of the protein, both with and without an external force acting on the protein. To find a numerical solution of this equation is straightforward, as the authors show. But they caution however that simulation of this solution on a computer is liable to introduce spurious results, and so they derive the Smoluchowski model, a somewhat different way of looking at random motion via the evolution of ensembles of paths. In this formulation the Brownian force is replaced by a diffusion term, and the external force is modeled by a drift term.

The authors then consider the modeling of chemical reactions, which supply the energy to the molecular motors. Because of the time scales involved in these reactions, a correct treatment of them would involve quantum mechanics, but the authors use the Smoluchowski model. The simple reaction model they consider involves a positive ion binding to negatively charged amino acid, and using as reaction coordinate the distance between the ion and the amino acid, study the free energy change as a function of the reaction coordinate.

The numerical simulation of the protein motion is then considered in much greater detail, using an algorithm that preserves detailed balance. This involves converting the problem to a Markov chain and a consideration of the boundary conditions, which the authors do for the case of periodic, reflecting, and absorbing. Euler's method is used to solve the resulting equations for the Markov chain, and after dealing with issues of stability and accuracy, the Crank-Nicolson method is used. The last few sections of the chapter are devoted to the physics of these solutions and the authors give some intuitive feel for the entropic factors and energy balance on a protein motor.

In the last chapter of the book, the considerations in chapter 12 are applied to concrete molecular motors. The first one examined is a model for switching in a bacterial flagellar motor, which involves the protein CheY as a signaling pathway. The binding of CheY to the motor is modeled as a two-state process, with the binding site being either empty or occupied. The resulting set of coupled differential equations for the probabilities is solved for when the concentration of CheY is constant. An expression for the change in free energy is obtained, and the authors give a discussion of the physics in the light of what was done in the last chapter. The switching rate is computed, along with the mean first passage time.

Some other examples of molecular motors are also discussed, including the flashing racket, the polymerization ratchet, and a simplified model of the ion-driven F0 motor of ATP synthase. This latter motor is fascinating, since it describes the electrochemical energy involved in mitochondria for the production of ATP. The authors do a nice job of showing how the techniques of chapter 12 are used to solve this model, and also give an analytical solution for a certain limiting case. ... Read more

Book Description
Veterinary Consult
The Veterinary Consult version of this title provides electronic access to the complete content of this book. Veterinary Consult allows you to electronically search your entire book, make notes, add highlights, and study more efficiently. Purchasing additional Veterinary Consult titles makes your learning experience even more powerful. All of the Veterinary Consult books will work together on your electronic "bookshelf", so that you can search across your entire library of veterinary books. Veterinary Consult: It's the best way to learn!


Book Description
This concise, expertly illustrated textbook of histology and cell biology introduces the study of pathology through an examination of altered cell and tissue function. Over 650 full-color illustrations are designed to not only illustrate key ideas, but also to provide a complete, visual review of a particular concept or topic. In addition to its clinical orientation and excellent art program, this unique text includes student-friendly Learning Objectives, summary tables, and boxes. Readers will find coverage of basic tissues and integrated cell biology, followed by topics divided by organ systems: blood circulatory systems; the alimentary system; the endocrine system; and the reproductive system. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not a great book, but the diagrams are good
Let me begin by pointing out that the diagrams in ths book are worth far more than the text.In fact there is probably more text captioning and labeling the diagrams than in the body of the text itself.The downside is that somethings shown in diagrams are simply not at all mentioned in the text, so ii you use a textbook for the text contained within (or because you were told that you had to buy it), and look at the pictures only to understand what is written in the text, you will probably miss some important points.I recommend studying this book only after you have developed some familiarity with the basics of histology, then you can go through the diagrams of this book to clarify or reinforce your knowledge.

A Must have for Histology
This book is a wonderful resource for anyone that is in histology!Unlike other books, it does a great job of illustrating identifying characteristics of certian cells and tissues.It is very well written and easy to follow, but it is not an oversimplification or dumbed down at all.It is simply a great book!

Pictures Really are Worth a Thousand Words!
Having taken this class with Dr. Kierszenbaum at his school, i know how much histology can focus on what seems like minute details, such as little blue and purple dots in microscopes. Fortunately. Dr. Kierszenbaum's textbook, which is being released in its second edition in January 2007, is filled with loads of great pictures. The text is decent, and at least for me, it took a long time just to get through a single chapter. Once that's done, though, the pictures are all you need for review. Although it depends on the style of your histology class, Dr. Kierszenbaum's book should be a good, colorful read for many students.

brilliant text by brilliant professor
I actually had the privilege of attending the medical school Dr. Kierszenbaum lectures at. He is exceptionally brilliant in that he knows how to present material so that it can be properly learned. This text has extensive figures and diagrams which are crucial for the mastery of histology. After you have read the book you can quickly review it by going over the figures which highlight the important facts pertaining to the material. Throughout the text important clinical diseases are addressed so that a correlation between cell function and dysfunction can be made. An absolutely thorough book by a great individual.

Excellent textbook for histology students
I would recommend this book for anyone taking histology in medical school or undergrad.I am a med student and found this book much easier to learn from compared to other textbooks I have read.The author writes in a fashion that enhances learning.The pictures are also very good and helped me to further visualize the types of epithlia.I studied from the following which is also on amazon.com:
Histology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers by Patrick Leonardi
This second book was so amazing because it had the kind of questions I saw on my histology exams.My study group and I used both these books and we all passed with ease and with less study time.Time is money.It's better to invest in a couple of excellent books than to take a $2500 class all over again.I give both books 6 stars!!!!! ... Read more

Book Description
Ever since James Watson and Francis Crick proposed their double-helical structure of DNA in 1953, biology has been in the throes of a revolution in knowledge at the molecular level. This Schaum's Outline was written to help bring order and understanding to this rapidly expanding field. As a succinct overview of the subject, it will supplement any molecular biology course or provide the foundation needed for advanced courses. The text material is presented in a question and answer format; each concept is explained as an answer to a specific question. At the end of each chapter are objective questions of several kinds; multiple choice, true-false, fill-ins, and matching. These objective questions can be used to evaluate the extent to which the text material has been mastered, while also preparing the student for this kind of examination format. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

definitely worth 10 dollars
This guide contains details about biology that are concise and at least as good as, if not more detailed than 2+ years of introductory biology courses. Though not an introductory guide, an excellent resource.

an excellent introduction
I am a Macromolecular crystallographer and have never formally attended any courses on molecular biology or biochemistry. I find these Schaum series books to be very useful. They are very concise, and provide all the information one needs to achieve a good understanding of the basic concepts and terminology. Another advantage is that they are paperbacks and easier to read compared to the heavier and more detailed texts like Stryer or Lehninger.

Insufficient asa stand-alone textbook
This book is ok just for revision purposes, not for a thorough review of the text

SCHAUM'S OUTLINES MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY
I consider molecular and cell biology an excellent review book for people who want an introduction of the field.Also it can help readers who want to refresh their knowledge.It is well organized, in fourteen different chapters, with multilple review questions and answers in each of them.Ifound the coverage of each chapter comprehensive.Objective questions atthe end of each chapter helped to assess your level of understanding.Icertainly recommend this book to people who study biological relatedsciences. ... Read more

Book Description
This Fifth Edition continues the BRS tradition of an outline-format review for USMLE and course exams, with review questions at the end of each chapter and a comprehensive USMLE-format examination at the end of the book. Each chapter also features a high-yield section on clinical correlations. The book is concise and well illustrated, with line drawings and electron micrographs. This edition features updated content, additional electron micrographs, new conceptual line drawings, and review questions in current USMLE format. Additional multiple-choice questions, photomicrographs, and electron micrographs for further review will be available online at thePoint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

First year med student
I have used many of the BRS books for class (the physio one is great!), but this one I found to be confusing and disorganized.It was not pertinent to the material covered on the USMLE or in microbio.I would probably recommend finding another book to study with (in our school we studied more hitsology than cell bio, so it depends on your curriculum).

Good for class- too long for the Boards
If you are a starting MS1 this is a good book to use for class as it has alot of good detail condensed in an outline format. It comes with a CD that has been quite helpful. However, when it comes to the Boards is just too big of a book for a subject that is not high yield- think about it- this book is just as big as BRS Path. Do you really have that much time to read a low yield subject? No. So instead for Histo- I recommend using a smaller book to review for the boards: I recommedRoad Maps: Histo as opposed to High Yield Histo.

Excellent book for histology class and USLME
I used this book and the following which is also on Amazon.com:
Histology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers.
The first book was written well and was quite helpful in preparing me for my histology exams in med school.Histology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers (ISBN: 0971999686) was so on target with the kind of questions asked on my histology exams in med school.It also proved to be helpful for the histology portion of the USLME Step 1.It goes to show since I got excellent grades in my histology class and on my USLME.I gave my friends both of these books to study from for class exams and for the boards, and they all passed the first time.My advice is to get both books.

Must buy for USLME
I found the information in this book pretty on target for the topics that are needed for the histology portion USLME 1.This book is a very good reference because it helped me summarize the info better in a much shorter fashion than just going back to a long textbook.If you really want to know the type of questions asked on the USLME step 1, I highly recommend the following that is also on amazon.Histology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers (ISBN: 0971999686) This two study guides are must buys.There are both worth the money.

Great reference for USLME step 1
This was a good review for the histology portion of the USLME Step 1.It has similar topics that were asked on in the test.... ... Read more

Book Description
This Third Edition of Medical Cell Biology focuses on the scientific aspects of cell biology important to medical students, dental students, veterinary students, and prehealth undergraduates. Maintaining a primary focus on eukaryotic cell biology, the text explains general cell biology principles in the context of organ systems and human and animal disease.

* 60% New Material!
* New Topics include:
Apoptosis and cell dealth from a neural perspective
Signal transduction as it relates to normal and abnormal heart function
Cell cycle and cell division related to cancer biology
* All new clinical cases
* Serves as a prep guide to the National Medical Board Exam with a CD-ROM of 200 sample board-style questions (using Exam Master(R) technology): www.exammaster.com
* Focuses on eukaryotic cell biology as it related to human disease, thus making the subject more accessible to pre-med and pre-health students ... Read more