New Comprehensive Biochemistry, Volume 12: Sterols and Bile Acids

Sterols are essential components of all eukaryotic cells. Their function is structural, and by being precursors of hormones and bile acids they exert a regulatory function on metabolic processes. Cholesterol and its metabolism are of importance in human disease. Although the mechanisms are largely unknown, it can be surmised that abnormalities in the metabolism of sterols and bile acids are associated with cardiovascular disease and gallstone formation. Steroid hormones are vital for man, animals and plants. Disturbances in their production can have deleterious consequences.

Ths volume of New Comprehensive Biochemistry is entitled Sterols and Bile Acids. It includes fourteen chapters written by prominent scientists in the field. The of sterols and bile acids has necessitated a large volume of material in the field limitation of the areas covered. Chapters on steroid hormones have been excluded since this field requires a volume of its own. In spite of this it has not been possible book of some few hundred pages. Efforts have been made to condense to produce a the contributions of the individual authors, but the wealth of important information is such that a further reduction in size would seriously affect the value of the chapters to the reader.

It may be argued that there are important gaps in the contents of this volume. For instance, full discussions of the role of compartmentation of sterols and their metabolism, of the dynamics of cholesterol balance, etc. are lacking. We as editors full responsibility for ths. Our only excuse is that the material contained in the take volume is already at the limit of what can be accommodated in a volume of New Comprehensive Biochemistry.

Although we have tried to make terminology, abbreviations, etc. reasonably uniform it will be apparent that there are differences between chapters, but hope it more important to let the individualities of fully not within a chapter. We have felt the authors be expressed.
It is our conviction that the eminent contributions in this volume, for which we are very grateful to our colleagues, will be of the value they deserve for all scientists in the field of sterol and bile acid research.