Lung Development: Biological and Clinical Perspectives, vol 1: Biochemistry and Physiology; vol 2: Neonatal Respiratory Distress

Abstract

Lung Development: Biological and Clinical Perspectives is a two-volume work edited by Dr Philip Farrell. The 21 sections in volume 1 and the 15 in volume 2 are provided by 33 contributors, many of whom are pioneers in their fields. Volume 1 mainly deals with the biochemistry and physiology of the developing lung, while volume 2 is primarily concerned with the neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. In general, the assignments of chapters are very good. Some chapters are especially noteworthy, including that by Longmore on the isolated perfused lung model for studies of lung metabolism, and the constructive material presented by Dr Robert B. Kotas. There are important chapters on isolation of alveolar type II cells (Robert J. Mason) and lung cell culture systems (W. H. J. Douglas and S. S. Smith). But there is an extremely disproportionate overemphasis on the CDP-choline pathway and on lecithin in general. This overemphasis is