Book Review: Handbook of Immunological Properties of Engineered Nanoparticles. (October 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Inoue, Ken-ichiro
• Is Part Of: Nanomedicine. Volume 8:Number 10(2013)
• Page Start: 1567
• Page End: 1569
• Publication Date: 2013-10
• Subjects: Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Medical technology -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Therapeutic use -- Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.2217/nnm.13.120
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-5889

Abstract

The Handbook of Immunological Properties of Engineered Nanoparticles is a one-volume compendium of almost every conceivable aspect of immunotoxicity elicited by exposure to engineered nanomaterials. This book casts an all-encompassing net, resulting in the inclusion of topics ranging from analytical methods for nanomaterial characterization to the possibility of drug delivery. This book is comprehensive, having nearly 680 pages and 21 chapters. The text is organized in a very straightforward manner, with general introductory material being set forth in the first few chapters, followed by an outline of nanomaterials responsible for immunological regulation/modulation and therapeutic aspects. Most chapters generally consist of an abstract/overview, introduction, a section on the role of nanomaterials in the area discussed, conclusive remarks and future perspectives, in relatively easily understood terms that are supported by clear line drawings. However, one criticism of the book is that it is unclear who it is written for. Is it for industrial workers/managers, college students on medical courses, engineering departments, life sciences departments, toxicologists, epidemiologists, physicians or immunologists? While it is difficult to cover enough to allow a good understanding for readers in every field, writing for a narrower, but precisely targeted field of readers (e.g., toxicologists and immunologists) would have tightened the contents (e.g., a chapter could describe the precise correlation between chemical components on nanomaterials and immunological status and/or more detailed mechanistic pathways such as the responsible intracellular signaling pathways).