ARTICLE
Auteur(s) : Jan D. Bos
CRC Press; 3rd edition (October 29, 2004). ISBN: 0849319595.
824 p.
Skin immune system: cutaneous immunology and clinical
immunodermatology
In the early 1960s, autoantibodies to components of the skin
were found in patents with pemphigus. Thus began a wave of
investigation into cutaneous immunology. While the effort has only
grown in scope and number since then, there are still many
questions remaining to be answered. In an effort to provide a
framework for assimilating the work of pioneer investigators in the
field of immunodermatology, Jan Bos proposed the concept of the
skin immune system, incorporating the immunological roles of the
cellular constituents of the skin. In a continuation of this
initial effort, Dr. Bos has recently completed a third edition of
his authoritative text, Skin Immune System: Cutaneous Immunology
and Clinical Immunodermatology.
Since its first edition in 1990, the field of
immunodermatology has experienced tremendous, almost daily, growth.
Therefore, this latest edition, available from October 2004, is a
welcome update. Dr. Bos has divided the text into six parts which
cover general background, cellular and humoral divisions of the
skin immune system, response patterns, disease processes, and
immunotherapeutic modalities. This organization works well. The
introductory section includes the history and a chapter on
immunodermatology in species other than mice and man. For a fan of
the field, these chapters provide a well-worthwhile look at the
work that has led up to our current understanding. Also included in
this section is a new chapter on immunogenetics, a necessary
inclusion due to the recent understanding in genomics and their
relation to cutaneous pathology. Two separate sections deal with
the cellular and humoral components of the skin immune system.
Included are comprehensive discussions of individual cell types and
extracellular defense mechanisms. These chapters in particular are
noteworthy for the inclusion of innate immunity and clinical
phenotypes where applicable. In addition, they have been updated to
reflect new insights into subsets of cells, new understanding of
the antimicrobial properties of some cutaneous proteins, and the
factors that influence cellular trafficking into and out of the
skin. The fourth section, dealing with cutaneous response patterns,
assimilates the individual components of the previous sections into
a working model of trafficking, inflammation, and pathophysiology.
Section five covers immuno-dermatological diseases, with a new
chapter dealing with drug eruptions. These chapters, somewhat
shorter than those in the prior sections, do nicely by not straying
too far from the immunology behind the pathogenesis, making them
readily accessible and full of relevant information. Finally, the
last section, dealing with immunotherapeutics, has been updated to
include the biologicals which are finding increasing application in
a host of dermatological processes. These six sections, comprising
41 chapters, give a comprehensive review of the field of
immunodermatology; little has been left out. Each chapter is
authored by a well known name(s) in that field, which results in
each topic receiving an authoritative discussion. As a result, this
text has done particularly well in including important clinical and
basic research. In fact, the bibliographies are one of the strong
points of the text. Additionally, the organization of each
bibliography is well laid out, which helps the reader maintain a
point of reference as he goes through. There is a uniformity to the
tables and figures, which makes them easy to understand from one
chapter to the next, and which serves to unify the text as a whole.
Color figures and clinical pictures are relatively sparse, but this
is not a detraction as the goal, specifically of section five, is
not in clinical diagnosis but in gaining an understanding of the
immuno-pathogenesis of disease processes. The end result is a text
that is well written and complete, yet easily manageable. Anyone
from a clinical practitioner, to a laboratory investigator, to an
inquisitive patient will find something of use, making this book a
worthwhile addition to any library or collection.n
Reviewers
Matthew Zook, Reza F. Ghohestani,
Immunodermatology Unit,
Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology,
Thomas Jefferson University
233 S10th Street, BLSB 450 Philadelphia,
PA 19107, USA
Fax: (+ 1) 215-503-5788
E-mail: Reza.Ghohestani@jefferson.edu
Auteur(s) :D. A. Burns, S. M. Breathnach, Neil Cox,
Christopher E. Griffiths, Blackwell Publishers
7th edition (August 15, 2004). ISBN: 0632064293.
Rook’s Textbook of Dermatology
The seventh edition of Rook’s Textbook of Dermatology is the
latest effort by fine English Dermatologists to provide a
comprehensive reference book to serve as an encyclopedia of
dermatology. The evolution of this book dates back to the year
1968, when the first edition was published under the leadership of
Arthur Rook, Darrell Wilkinson and John Ebling. In a preface to the
first edition, Rook and his colleagues emphasized the importance of
skin biology as it relates to etiopathogenesis as well as the
clinical descriptions of diseases. Though the original editors have
changed, the primary focus of the book remains the same. Details on
etiopathogenesis and clinical descriptions still comprise the major
strengths of the 7th edition.
The new editors have continued the traditional organization of the
diseases. As was originally outlined by Rook and his colleagues in
the first edition: “ … the classification employed is conventional
and pragmatic. Until our knowledge of the mechanisms of disease is
more profound no truly scientific classification is possible”.
Volume one mainly addresses basic science. It provides unique
chapters on skin biology, subjects such as Comparative Dermatology
(Chapter 2) and Anatomy and Organization of Human Skin (Chapter 3)
are brilliantly covered.
Infectious diseases are addressed in volume two. Chapter 31, which
discusses mycology, ingeniously combines medical knowledge and
colorful illustrations and achieves the editors’ goal of providing
a comprehensive reference guide for dermatologists.
Volume four highlights what distinguishes Rook’s text from others
in the field. Volume four re-groups the diseases based on the
organs affected and provides a comprehensive overview of
organ-specific diseases. For example, chapter 61 fully
analyzes psychocutaneous disorders; chapter 62 discusses
disorders of nails; and chapter 63 addresses disorders of
hair.
However, as is the case with almost all major textbooks, a few
chapters fail to include recent discoveries in the field. For
example in chapter 41: Immunobullous Diseases, there is no mention
of anti-type IV collagen disease that presents with sub-epidermal
blister and glomerulonephritis.
In the next edition, I would like to see an expansion on the
therapy section throughout the text. Providing therapeutic
guidelines with an emphasis on evidence-based medicine would serve
as a major benefit for both training as well as practicing
dermatologists.
My hope is that the attempt to develop standard names for skin
diseases, that are seen in the 7th edition, will become more
pronounced in the next edition; as the numerous unrelated
dermatology terms are better suited to history rather than the
brains of dermatology residents for exam purposes.
Rook’s Textbook of Dermatology is a handsome book, presented in a
handy dimension, and containing good quality photographs. This book
would serve as an excellent resource in any dermatology library and
an asset to every dermatologist. n
Reviewer
Reza F. Ghohestani,
Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology
and Jefferson Insititute of Molecular Medicine,
Thomas Jefferson University
233 S 10th Street, BLSB 450 Philadelphia, PA
19107
Fax: 215-503-5788
E-mail: tjumails@yahoo.com
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