omissions. Particularly in describing the general mechanisms of signal transduc- tion, it provides a valuable, up-to-date resource.

In the past decade, awareness of the importance of the extracellular matrix in the regulation of cell function and differentiation has increased dramatically. The use of molecular and cellular biological techniques in the field ofextracellular matrix has led to the emergence of a growing body of exciting data, proving an important new role for the extracellular matrix beyond its conventional role as the structural support in various tissues. The preface of Extracellular Matrix is an excellent summary of both the technical and the conceptual aspects of the revolution in this field. Chapters are organized into five sections to provide an ensemble of research reports and discussion on structure, molecular biology, function, and pathogenesis of extracellular matrix. Section I provides a complete review, covering both the report of seminal works and those related to more recent findings on the individual components of the extracellular matrix. This section features eight chapters on fibronectin, laminin, adhesion molecules, fibrillar collagene, and basement membrane collagen, each providing a review of literature related to biosynthesis, regulation of gene expression, and the assembly and function of the individual components of the extracellular matrix. Section II is devoted to the extracellular matrix and related molecules in the liver. This section features two chapters. The first includes a detailed and comprehensive description of the molecular and biochemical aspects of the extracellular matrix in hepatic fibrosis and a discussion on methodological considerations in the study of the liver extracellular matrix. This chapter is highlighted by excellent photomicrographs of in situ hybridization, and the patterns of expression of TGF-P1 and protooncogenes in acute liver injury. The second chapter provides the readers with superbly illustrated descriptions of the structure, cellular origin, and development of the extracellular matrix and its individual components in the liver. Section III is devoted to the important issue of hormonal regulation of the extracellular matrix in the liver. In the chapter on cytokines, regulatory effects of transforming growth factor-beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interlukin- 1 , colony-stimulating factors, platelet-derived growth factor, and interferon