Unconventional collagens

Unconventional Collagens Types VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XIV, XVI and XIX by S. Ricard-Blum, B. Dublet and M. van der Rest Oxford University Press (2000) pp.155. ISBN 0–19-850545-0 35.00 This thoroughly researched monograph in Oxford University Press's ‘Protein Profile Series’ reviews substantially all the significant literature on this interesting and highly important group of proteins. The authors use the term ‘Unconventional Collagens’ for the collagens of higher vertebrate connective tissues which do not, of themselves, form classical fibrils with a 68 nm banding pattern. The authors chose to omit type IV collagen as this, they claim, would have almost doubled the size of the volume. The monograph represents a very considerable achievement in three respects. Firstly it comprehensively reviews the literature on the sequence, structure, expression, post-translational modification, genetics, physiological function and pathology of each separate unconventional collagen. The thoroughness of this review is indicated by the fact that the bibliography contains no fewer than 1196 references. Secondly, the monograph identifies the modular domain structure for each collagen, clearly demonstrating that these proteins are block co-polymers mainly derived in evolution from a small number of ancestral genes. Thirdly, it starts to identify the way in which the different modules of these sticky molecules interact with each other and with other connective tissue components. This is an important start if we are to understand their vital role in the self-assembly processes which occur in embryology, tissue repair and the major degenerative and collagen gene diseases The clearly written and well set out text is supported by excellent micrographs of rotary shadowed molecules and molecular aggregates and a wealth of diagrams and tables. The book has, in my view, three minor shortcomings: a short summary chapter on type IV would enable the non-specialist reader to relate this collagen to the other non-conventional collagens. Concise summaries at the ends of each chapter would orient newcomers to the field. More significantly, apart from the brief introduction, the book lacks an overall synthesis which pulls together the findings of the separate chapters. These slight limitations aside, this book is essential reading for those engaged in connective tissue research and will do much to stimulate further activity in this area. It will also be of considerable interest to tissue engineers, pathologists and embryologists.