Endocrinology I. [antikvár]

Preface to the Section on Endocrinology Publication of this volume, Endocrine Pancreas, marks the opening of a new Section of the American Physiological Society's Handbook of Physiology. This Scction, devoted to the endocrine system, will comprise seven or more volumes and cover all of the classically recognized endocrine glands. The most comprehensive treatment of this bodily system ever undertaken will be contained in its some 250 chapters. Editors of the volumes making up this Section are: Norbert Freinkel, Donald F. Steiner, Ernst Knobil, Wilbur H. Sawyer, Monte A. Greer, David H. Solomon, Gerald D. Aurbach, George Sayers, Hermann Blaschko, A. David Smith, and Roy O. Greep. Although the physiology of the individual cndocrine glands forms the organizational basis for this Section, we recognize that the functions of any single cndocrine gland may be significantly influenced by, or entirely dependent on, the activity of another gland. Historically, however., the development of this field has been on the basis of the study of individual glands or even of a single function of a given gland. James Howard Means once put it this way, "Although the endocrine system is a closely knit congeries of servomechanisms exerting certain impacts and controls throughout the body and closely enmeshed with its integrating partner, the nervous system, it was, nevertheless, originally through the ills of its component parts individually that we came to know about it." We were forced to conclude that this body of information does not readily lend itself to integrated presentation at this time. Furthermore few authors would feel competent to lay before the experts a discus- sion of material outside their own particular research interest. Alternatively we have chosen to adhere to the classical approach and place great emphasis on authoritative treatment of cach topic. Each volume will be authored by workers of the highest competence, who will draw on their own extensive experience and expertise to provide perspective and balanced judgment. Authors have been asked to be interpretive and to provide selective referencing as a guide to the voluminous literature. These volumes have been prepared especially for use by graduate students, teachers, and investigators. They go far beyond the conventional textbooks in dealing with involved problems and controversial issues. They are, likewise, not in the nature of the usual comprehensive and uncritical literature surveys. Instead the current status of each special field of research has been depicted against a backdrop of the firmly established facts. For the interested investigator these volumes will provide a starting point and for the teacher a summary of the field. Along with our endocrine colleagues everywhere we welcome this opportunity to have the endocrine system included among the series of Sections of the distinguished Handbook of Piiysiology. We are aware that the standards set in previously published Sections are high and feel confident that the science of endocrinology can be cast in the same mold. ROV O. CREEP EDWIN B. ASTWOOD Section Editors