Pietro Motta (1942–2002)

This amazing work is a comprehensive atlas of ultrastructural anatomy of the mammalian liver. As the title indicates, it draws primarily on scanning electron microscopy; however some transmission EM micrographs also are included. This work abundantly demonstrates that scanning EM is a powerful tool when it comes to understanding the structural relationships between hepatocytes, blood vessels, and biliary vessels.

Individual chapters focus are devoted to the following: 1) the liver surface (i.e., the serosa); 2) the liver lobule; 3) the liver cell; 4) the biliary system; 5) the vascular system; 6) the space of Disse; 7) blood vascular casts; and 8) experimental and pathological features. Each chapter is headed by a few pages of explanation, accompanied by literature citations. Micrographs are presented in large format, occupying entire 8.5x11" pages; facing pages contain the figure legends, and anatomical features are labeled and described. A few explanatory diagrams also are included. One minor drawback is that some technical terms are used prior to their definitions. In occasional cases, labels on the figures lack corresponding indicators in the figure legends.

This atlas offers an excellent valuable reference work to researchers who study any aspect of the liver. It would also be valuable addition to any library of histological or electron microscopic materials.… (mais)