Di Fiore's Atlas of Histology with Functional Correlations

ANNOTATION

The book contains color illustrations.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

This atlas's full-color images have earned a worldwide reputation for their superb demonstration of basic histology concepts. Because the images are illustrations, they provide an idealized view of cells and tissues, making this an excellent learning resource for beginning students as well as a solid review for advanced students. In addition, over 70 micrographs are included throughout the text adjacent to the illustrations to provide a realistic perspective, "Functional Correlations" sections are also included below select images to help students study structure and function together.

SYNOPSIS

In this book/CD-ROM atlas, Eroschenko (anatomy, University of Idaho) demonstrates basic histology concepts with detailed color illustrations of cells and tissues. In addition to the illustrations, some 70 micrographs (new to this edition) provide a realistic rather than idealized perspective. Sections on functional correlations are included below select images to help students study structure and function together. This tenth edition includes 120 new color illustrations, a new chapter on cell and basic cytology, and an improved format. The enclosed CD-ROM contains self-tests. The book will be useful as a resource for beginning students and as a review for advanced students. The ninth edition of the atlas is cited in Brandon-Hill. Annotation © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

FROM THE CRITICS

Alvin Telser

This is the eighth edition of an atlas of histology consisting of idealized artistic composite images of light microscopic histology. A few introductory pages have been added to each chapter to add functional information to the atlas. The addition of functional correlations are little more than expanded figure legends such as are found in other histology atlases. The seventh edition was published in 1993. This is a general histology atlas intended for beginning students at the undergraduate or professional level, although the author does not make specific reference to the intended audience. The objectives are worthy, but the text is not well suited for the beginning student because it raises unrealistic expectations of what a student will see when studying actual histological specimens. A diagrammatic atlas might may be of more use to a student looking for idealized or schematic representations of histological material. The atlas is for beginning students of histology but it might be better directed toward students preparing for board exams, i.e., it may serve students better as a review atlas. There is considerable overlap with other histology atlases. The illustrations are of high artistic quality; it would be hard to overillustrate an atlas. No references are included; this is not a serious shortcoming. No ultrastructural information is included; this is a serious shortcoming. Unfortunately, it is not a very helpful guide to the study of actual microscope or Kodachrome slides because the drawings are so realistic that they may be misleading when used as a study aid. The atlas has a compelling esthetic quality but adds little to the contents of the seventh edition; 47 newillustrations and the functional introductions are marginal justifications for a new edition. The expectations these illustrations raise for the inexperienced student of what might be seen on a slide that could in fact never be seen make this book of very limited value for the intended audience. Libraries may be well advised not to keep this atlas in their collections.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer: Alvin Telser, PhD (Northwestern University Medical School)Description: This is the ninth edition under the same author; the eight edition was published in 1996. Purpose: This atlas is intended for beginning students of histology. This is a worthy objective, in general, as there are about 20,000 students beginning medical or dental school each year and they all have general histology as a first year course or topic. There are about a dozen similar books on the market. In a broad sense, the author fulfills his objective. Audience: Histology courses in undergraduate curricula or in professional schools that do not use microscopes or undergraduate histology courses might find this book useful. The author has published similar books and, as such, is a recognized authority in the field. Features: This atlas is a reprinting of several hundred of the original artistic interpretations of histology specimens found in the earlier editions. Most of the reproductions are of good quality but several (e.g., 7-5, 10-1, and 15-3) appear to have been scanned with a digital scanner at much too low resolution and are very poor reproductions. The 3-D lead-in interpretations are helpful and the inclusion of some actual light micrographs is an enhancement to this edition. Assessment: There are many other atlases of histology that are pedagogically and graphically superior to this one, such as Kerr's Atlas of Functional Histology (Mosby, 1999); Gartner's Color Atlas of Histology, 3rd Edition (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000); Berman's Color Atlas of Basic Histology, 2nd Edition (Appleton & Lange, 1998); and Young's Wheater's Functional Histology: A Text and Colour Atlas (Churchill Livingstone, 2000). The extensive use of artistic impressions of histological material is misleading to most beginning histology students. The drawings are so idealized as to make them counter-productive when actual slides are viewed by the students. Other atlases have 3-D renditions at the beginning of each chapter that are as good or better than those in this atlas. I feel that this atlas serves little or no purpose in the education of medical or dental students, but it may have some value as an introductory text in an undergraduate course for non-biology majors.

Booknews

A reference for students of histology. After an introductory chapter on how solid and hollow structures change shape on a flat slide, sections cover various types of tissues and organs. This ninth edition offers 59 color photomicrographs of selected tissues and organs to supplement color composite illustrations, as well as new three- dimensional, computer-generated illustrations as lead-in art for each chapter. For this edition, material on functional correlations is placed directly below illustrations of specific structures. This edition is also updated to reflect enhanced understanding in the field since 1996. The author is professor of anatomy in the department of biological sciences, WWAMI Medical Program, University of Idaho. Wire circular binding. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

RATING

2 Stars from Doody

ACCREDITATION