One of the newest editions to the Humana Press series Methods in Molecular Biology is Leukemia: Methods and Protocols, which provides a detailed, stepwise approach to up-to-date laboratory methods and protocols in the vast world of leukemia. In the preface, the editor clearly states that this book serves as a useful reference guide for clinical and research scientists and investigators who are interested in the following techniques: prenatal backtracking of leukemic clones, molecular diagnosis, detection of genome-wide genetic abnormalities and profiling, identification of unknown fusion genes, monitoring of minimal residual diseases, disease modeling using murine and human primary hematopoietic cells, studying of normal and malignant hematopoiesis findings, identification of interacting partners with leukemia-associated oncoproteins, and global characterization of genome-wide epigenetic changes in leukemic cells.With 21 chapters, the book begins by introducing key developments and the latest technologies in acute leukemia and then prepares the reader with an outline of the edition's contents. The following chapter begins with the methods of detecting early genetic events from the use of archived neonatal blood spots. Chapter 3 describes leukemic analysis using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), whereas Chapter 4 further details the use of FISH with fluorescence immunophenotyping and multifluor or multicolor FISH (M-FISH). The next 2 chapters discuss the MLL gene using long-distance inverse polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and panhandle PCR. Chapter 7 moves in a different direction toward evaluating minimal residual disease in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia using immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor genes in real-time quantitative PCR. This chapter is filled with useful tables and figures with important and relevant background information. The next 2 chapters advance to 2 relevant techniques of array-based comparative genomic hybridization and single-nucleotide polymorphism microarray. In array-based comparative genomic hybridization, the 2 basic categories discussed include constructs from large-insert DNA clones (BAC array-based comparative genomic hybridization) and another with shorter oligonucleotide sequences (oligo array-based comparative genomic hybridization). Chapter 10 uses retroviral and lentiviral transduction and translocation to find patients with acute leukemia and nonrandom chromosomal translocations with overexpression of proto-oncogenes or novel fusion genes.The next 6 chapters cover different aspects of leukemic stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells, embryonic stem cells, and the hematopoietic stem cell niche. Chapter 12 uses the xenotransplantation model of immunodeficient mice for identification and characterization of human leukemic stem cells. Chapter 13 describes the methodology of isolating human CD34+ cells and examining the effects of leukemia protein expression by retroviral transduction. Chapter 14 discusses an ex vivo assay with bone marrow stromal coculture system of CD34+ cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia to study self-renewal and long-term expansion. Chapter 15 explains the use of murine bone marrow to identify and characterize hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells with multiparameter flow cytometry. Chapter 16 covers murine embryonic stem cells with protocols and methods for the culture of embryonic stem cells, their hematopoietic development, and quantitative analyses by gene expression. Last in the realm of stem cells, Chapter 17 details the steps taken to isolate and analyze hematopoietic stem cells from murine midgestation placentas.Chapter 18 covers protein-protein interaction using the yeast 2-hybrid system. The following chapter discusses the expression of the HOX gene network by real-time PCR. Chapter 20 moves into the topic of epigenetics with genome-wide determination of DNA methylation by a microarray-based technique called the HpaII tiny fragment enrichment by ligation-mediated PCR assay. The final chapter explains chromatin immunoprecipitation to analyze histone modifications and chromatin-binding regulatory proteins.Overall, the book covers relevant advanced methods and protocols in leukemia. Each topic is comprehensive and thorough, with excellent and valuable notes at the end of each chapter. The diagrams, figures, and tables are instrumental in supporting the text and helping the reader understand the concepts and procedures. For example, even the simple diagram on page 40, on the method of streaking agar plates with a sterile inoculating loop, portrays the fundamental technique needed for accurate results. Colored plates and pictures are provided at the end of Chapters 9 and 16, which are essential for color distinction, especially for FISH analysis.Geared toward clinical researchers and scientific investigators, this book serves as a practical resource in different aspects of leukemia research. In summary, Leukemia: Methods and Protocols, serves as a precise cookbook, with many carefully formulated ingredients gathered together to form the perfect recipe for leukemia research.