I discovered Dr Jon Lieff's blog about five years ago and was astounded at the breadth and depth of his interests. I was trying to make sense of the immune system and cancer in my partner's treatment for ovarian cancer. Jon's blog was prolific, well written and beautiful illustrated. And extremely useful.
I looked forward to his book and expected something similar. My first reading gave a surprise. Jon has concentrated on producing a book that anyone can read. It is clear and uses straightforward language. It is very well organised. He gives a quite different synthesis to other writers in the general field, although I suspect he owns the field himself. There are so many interesting areas that get a distinctly new approach. See below his section on COV-19. I got more from these few paragraphs than from whole articles:
"THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS—VERY CAPABLE WITH FIFTEEN GENES The novel coronavirus (technically called SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes the illness COVID-19, has great capabilities, with fifteen genes that produce at least twenty-nine proteins. One very large protein is actually sixteen different ones that are cut and released by other proteins. Several of these proteins produce a bubble filled with fluid where the virus builds a factory to produce more viruses. Inside the bubble, two proteins produce new RNA, and another brings material to build the RNA; a medicine for SARS can attack this step. Three other proteins unwind the RNA to make it useful, correct errors, and cut up leftover RNA to keep the host cell from reacting to it. Other proteins alter the human cell’s environment to help the virus survive in the cell and escape. Still others block immune signals to other cells, influence the flow of molecules in and out of the cell nucleus, and turn human genes on and off. Others poke holes in the cell’s membrane, making escape easier, and disable a protein on the surface of human cells trying to grab the escaping virus. One stimulates inflammation and another induces human cells to commit suicide. Four of SARS-CoV-2’s proteins build the structure that has been seen so frequently in the media. All four help with assembly and release from the host cell. One protects the RNA deep inside. Another produces the famous spikes that make it appear as a crown, also known as a corona. These spikes attach to the human cell receptor ACE2 molecule in the airways and other places. This molecule is also an important enzyme blocked by a class of blood pressure medications (ACE inhibitors), likely causing an association of increased risk of COVID-19 symptoms in those who have high blood pressure. Attaching to this receptor allows the virus to enter into cells and creates a strong attachment that causes the symptoms to linger. Of all the proteins, this one might be the one that causes the COVID-19 virus to be so dangerous to humans, since it attaches so firmly to human cells.
Lieff, Jon. The Secret Language of Cells (pp. 202-204). BenBella Books, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
The main text does not have any references which some may regret. But the extensive list by chapter given at the end of the book more than makes up for this.
This review is based on my first fly-through of the text. Below is another snippet from the latter part of the book that give a good idea of where it ends up.
"WHAT CONCLUSIONS CAN BE DRAWN from this tour of cellular conversations? Although cells are considered the most basic characteristic that defines life, it is actually the conversations among cells, and also the conversations that take place inside them, that determine biological activity and produce the essence of life. The science of cell communication allows new ways to understand health and disease. It also has implications for understanding evolution as well as consciousness. While elaborate signals among neurons have been observed for years, why hasn’t signaling among all other cells been obvious before now? It has been hidden from general view because of impenetrable jargon in scientific journals. Arcane terminologies of signals, receptors, genes, and cell subtypes aren’t generally known, even across various research areas. Professional articles and books on molecular signaling are complex and don’t provide this overarching synthesis. They are hard to understand, even for clinicians and scientists who don’t actively work in a particular field. Also, most of this information has been discovered in the past several years, and biology dogmas die hard. The synthesis of scientific data in this book makes it easy to see why communication among cells has wide-ranging significance. Descriptions of cellular conversations help demystify the latest research on immunity, digestion, cancer, neuroscience, pain, and other topics. This overview—not available anywhere else in one place—is particularly important for those who are ill and trying to follow advanced treatments."
Lieff, Jon. The Secret Language of Cells (p. 289). BenBella Books, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
I just hope that Jon is sketching the outline for his next book!
The Secret Language of Cells: What Biological Conversations Tell Us About the Brain-Body Connection, the Future of Medicine,
4.5 | 152 ratings
Price: 17.5
Last update: 11-12-2024
About this item
Top reviews from the United States
Dr. Peter R. Best
A model of clarity and innovation
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2020
Dr. Peter R. Best
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2020
I looked forward to his book and expected something similar. My first reading gave a surprise. Jon has concentrated on producing a book that anyone can read. It is clear and uses straightforward language. It is very well organised. He gives a quite different synthesis to other writers in the general field, although I suspect he owns the field himself. There are so many interesting areas that get a distinctly new approach. See below his section on COV-19. I got more from these few paragraphs than from whole articles:
"THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS—VERY CAPABLE WITH FIFTEEN GENES The novel coronavirus (technically called SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes the illness COVID-19, has great capabilities, with fifteen genes that produce at least twenty-nine proteins. One very large protein is actually sixteen different ones that are cut and released by other proteins. Several of these proteins produce a bubble filled with fluid where the virus builds a factory to produce more viruses. Inside the bubble, two proteins produce new RNA, and another brings material to build the RNA; a medicine for SARS can attack this step. Three other proteins unwind the RNA to make it useful, correct errors, and cut up leftover RNA to keep the host cell from reacting to it. Other proteins alter the human cell’s environment to help the virus survive in the cell and escape. Still others block immune signals to other cells, influence the flow of molecules in and out of the cell nucleus, and turn human genes on and off. Others poke holes in the cell’s membrane, making escape easier, and disable a protein on the surface of human cells trying to grab the escaping virus. One stimulates inflammation and another induces human cells to commit suicide. Four of SARS-CoV-2’s proteins build the structure that has been seen so frequently in the media. All four help with assembly and release from the host cell. One protects the RNA deep inside. Another produces the famous spikes that make it appear as a crown, also known as a corona. These spikes attach to the human cell receptor ACE2 molecule in the airways and other places. This molecule is also an important enzyme blocked by a class of blood pressure medications (ACE inhibitors), likely causing an association of increased risk of COVID-19 symptoms in those who have high blood pressure. Attaching to this receptor allows the virus to enter into cells and creates a strong attachment that causes the symptoms to linger. Of all the proteins, this one might be the one that causes the COVID-19 virus to be so dangerous to humans, since it attaches so firmly to human cells.
Lieff, Jon. The Secret Language of Cells (pp. 202-204). BenBella Books, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
The main text does not have any references which some may regret. But the extensive list by chapter given at the end of the book more than makes up for this.
This review is based on my first fly-through of the text. Below is another snippet from the latter part of the book that give a good idea of where it ends up.
"WHAT CONCLUSIONS CAN BE DRAWN from this tour of cellular conversations? Although cells are considered the most basic characteristic that defines life, it is actually the conversations among cells, and also the conversations that take place inside them, that determine biological activity and produce the essence of life. The science of cell communication allows new ways to understand health and disease. It also has implications for understanding evolution as well as consciousness. While elaborate signals among neurons have been observed for years, why hasn’t signaling among all other cells been obvious before now? It has been hidden from general view because of impenetrable jargon in scientific journals. Arcane terminologies of signals, receptors, genes, and cell subtypes aren’t generally known, even across various research areas. Professional articles and books on molecular signaling are complex and don’t provide this overarching synthesis. They are hard to understand, even for clinicians and scientists who don’t actively work in a particular field. Also, most of this information has been discovered in the past several years, and biology dogmas die hard. The synthesis of scientific data in this book makes it easy to see why communication among cells has wide-ranging significance. Descriptions of cellular conversations help demystify the latest research on immunity, digestion, cancer, neuroscience, pain, and other topics. This overview—not available anywhere else in one place—is particularly important for those who are ill and trying to follow advanced treatments."
Lieff, Jon. The Secret Language of Cells (p. 289). BenBella Books, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
I just hope that Jon is sketching the outline for his next book!
Images in this review
Amazon Customer
Highly recommend, even to the non scientist!
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2022
Jillian
Excellent Book
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2024William R. Walsh
Worthwhile read
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2021Barbara Hand Clow
Cellular Microbial Magic!
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2021
Lisa C. Tener
"Your Cells Are Talking About You"
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2020Grace O'Malley
Complex info explained beautifully
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2021
Perry Marshall
Rescuing vital information from the endless jargon of scientific journals
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2021