Innumerable clinical problems have as their basis some derangement in oxygen-dependent metabolism. To explore mechanisms of adjusting to oxygen limitation,
Living without Oxygen
presents a bestiary of exotic anaerobes that illuminate elements of metabolic biochemistry only dimly seen in studies using standard experimental animals. With their exaggerated anaerobic capabilities, Hochachka's diving mammals, airbreathing fishes, and hypoxia-adapted lower vertebrates allow a detailed assessment of what can and what cannot be adjusted in the process of extending hypoxia tolerance. The book places the enzymatic and biochemical machinery firmly in the biological context and assumes only a modest familiarity with bioenergetics and metabolic biochemistry. The author's clear prose should make this technical presentation pleasantly unintimidating for any physiologist, biochemist, or clinical investigator. The insights of his unique approach make
essential reading.