Abstract
Ovarian Toxicology is part of the Target Organ Toxicology Series and presents 11 chapters from 25 contributors that provide a current view of the direct and indirect mechanisms of action of specific environmental chemicals on ovarian physiology, morphology, and function. It is intended for scientists in academic, industrial, and regulatory settings. The references following each chapter are adequate and up to date. The index is adequate. All of the illustrations are black and white and are largely composed of diagrams, tables, or charts, with only one histopathologic image of an ovary.
The first chapter gives an overview of ovarian physiology. It includes a concise summary of the cellular and molecular targets of toxicity in the ovary, indicating the role each plays in normal ovarian function. The second chapter examines the effects of select groups of environmental chemicals on a specific target population, the small preantral follicles. The next four chapters cover the toxic effects of specific classes of chemicals, such as pesticides, phthalates, and endocrine disruptors, on ovarian function and provide insights regarding their mechanisms of action and target cell population. Chapter 6 provides a detailed discussion of the herbicide atrazine and its metabolites and their toxic effects on the female reproductive system. Chapter 7 examines biotransformation in the ovary. Chapter 8 discusses ovarian toxicity following in utero exposure to xenobiotics. Chapter 9 details the mechanisms involved in the development of chemoresistance in human ovarian cancer. Chapter 10 provides an overview of the epidemiology of human ovarian cancer. The final chapter describes methods for assessing toxic effects on ovarian function.
Overall, the book is easy to read and provides a good mix of overviews of toxic effects of well-known chemical classes as well as detailed examples of toxic effects or mechanisms of action for specific chemicals. It is a useful and timely resource for toxicologists and pathologists involved in assessing the toxic effects of chemicals on the ovary.