Folate and Human Development,

edited by EJ Massaro and JM Rogers, 2002, 359 pages, hardcover, $107.10. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ.

The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8, E-mail: deborah_l.o'connor{at}sickkids.ca

Massaro and Rogers have assembled an impressive group of internationally recognized experts in the broad areas of folate, human development, and gene expression. Each chapter is written as a standalone review, although the authors of individual chapters refer the reader to other relevant sections of the text. Each chapter begins with a concise but comprehensive background review, making it easy for the reader, even someone new to the subject matter, to digest chapters in order of personal preference rather than sequence. Those intent on reading the text sequentially may find the repetition of background material at the beginning of each chapter redundant. On balance, however, I think that the approach taken was the correct one given the complexity, diversity, and depth of the material presented.

The book begins with a helpful review of the animal models used to study folate-related neural tube defects. This is followed by chapters on genetic variation in folate metabolism, the effect of this on human development, and the potential influence of folate and vitamin B-12 status on genomic stability. A refreshingly straightforward update is provided on the rapidly emerging but exceedingly confusing literature about folate receptor-. Chapters are provided on what is known about the effect of developmental toxicants and nutrient imbalances (of iron, copper, and zinc, for example) on the regulation or perturbation of folate metabolism. In acknowledgment of folate’s metabolic interrelation with the lesser known of the methyl donors, choline, a review is provided of the role of choline in brain development. Finally, 3 chapters are devoted to the subject matter of folate, homocysteine, and vascular disease.

I very much enjoyed reading this text and I highly recommend it. On the whole, the material presented is on the cutting edge, and the text is an excellent synthesis of some very complex and contradictory concepts that have been published in a massively exploding literature. The book would likely appeal to any scientist, clinician, or student interested in learning more about current developments in folate metabolism. It is well written and easy to read, yet even those expert in the folate field are likely to learn something new. Likewise, those interested in learning more about the field of nutrients and gene expression would find individual chapters or the text in its entirety a gentle introduction to the subject matter.