Phosphatidylcholine

A symposium was centered around the unsaturated phosphatidyl­ choline molecule and organized in order to assemble and coordi­ nate theoretical views with facts and results. The presence of a high percentage of essential fatty acids in unsaturated phos­ phatidylcholine gave rise to the essential phospholipid concept. An overview of the biological significance of phospholipids and a review of a specific phosphatidylcholine-related enzyme, namely LCAT or lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase, open these proceedings. The simultaneous use of the synonyms - leci­ thin and phosphatidylcholine - was solved throughout the pub­ lished material by a preferential use of the more precise che­ mical terminology of phosphatidylcholine. A set of papers centered around the pharmacology of polyunsa­ turated phosphatidylcholine (PU-PC) or essential phospholipids (EPL) is followed by reports on its therapeutic effects. Further papers deal with the metabolism of the arterial wall and the presence of phospholipid related enzyme systems. Some hemody­ namic related effects are dealt with in the last section. These proceedings could be edited within a few months thanks to the active cooperation of the authors. The editors are grateful to acknowledge this rather unusual performance which tends to prove the interest of all participants in this sym­ posium. It seems logical to presume that the topic itself is an important one and that the meeting was timely organized.