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Department of Medicine University of California, Davis Medical Center 4150 V Street Sacramento, CA 95817 E-mail: lberglund{at}ucdavis.edu
The first edition of this introductory handbook in lipid biochemistry was published in 1970. Since that time, many fundamental advances have been achieved in the field. The 5th edition of the handbook reflects the dynamic development in this area since the previous edition was published 11 y ago. In contrast with previous editions, the section devoted to fatty acid biochemistry was thoroughly revised, the section on lipid transport was completely revised and updated, and the emerging role of lipids as signaling substances is addressed. Overall, the text is easy to read and the chapter numbering system facilitates the navigation of the different sections of the book. The authors have systematically included a description of major research findings in the field, which provides the reader with a nice historic perspective.
The first chapter contains a short but concise synopsis of lipids and of the techniques used to separate and isolate lipids. In the second chapter, the reader is given an overview of fatty acid structure and metabolism. This section is comprehensive, covering mammals, prokaryotes, and plants, and most of the information is highly detailed. The text serves as a good introductory resource for readers interested in specific aspects of fatty acid biosynthesis and catabolism. Although some of the information in this chapter appears overwhelming, the content is nicely balanced by sections that focus on cellular fatty acid metabolism. For example, the section on eicosanoids is concise, updated, and very informative. The chapter on dietary lipids describes the origin of fat in food and the effects of industrial processing on fat properties; however, the main focus is on metabolic energy and fatty acid and fat-soluble vitamin requirements. This chapter also addresses the role of lipids in immune function and cancer.
The chapters on energy stores and lipid transport are succinctly written and provide excellent overviews of these topics. In the chapter on energy stores, the biosynthesis and catabolism of triacylglycerols are covered and an overview of the integration of fuel and fat metabolism is provided. The chapter on lipid transport is a pleasure to read and provides a basic understanding of lipoprotein metabolism and pathology. The authors have successfully written a surprisingly condensed chapter containing novel information on the coordinated regulation of sterol and fat metabolism and the most relevant information on plasma lipoprotein composition and metabolism and lipoprotein receptors.
The final 2 chapters are devoted to the role and metabolism of lipids in cellular structures. This is an expanding area of interest, and these chapters provide a good basis for further reading as well as information on the role of lipids in cell signaling. Overall, the text quality of the book is even, the book is easy to read, and the book contains ample and helpful illustrations and updated references. As a whole, the book is informative and provides a good introduction to a very dynamic and important field of interest. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in an overview of lipid biochemistry and metabolism.