Cytochromes P-450 and B5

P-450 has in common with our nation that it can call Philadelphia its hometown. Yet there are differences, too. The U.S.A. was born and named in this city. P-450 was first recognized here -- an odd CO-combining pigment without family or function. Japanese workers identified it as an unusual member of the cytochrome family. Finally, in Philadelphia, its biological function was established and its growth to a global power initiated. Since discovery of its function as terminal oxidase of the -steroid hydroxylase system of adrenocortical microsomes, P-450 proved to play the same role in a wide variety of other mixed function oxidase systems involved in biosynthesis and catabolism specific cell or body components as well as in the metabolism foreign substances entering organisms. P-450-like oxygenating enzymes appear to be fundamental cellular constituents in most forms of aerobic organisms. Activation of molecular oxygen and incorporation of one of its atoms into organic compounds as catalyzed by P-450 enzymes are reactions of vital importance not only r biosynthesis and degradation of steroid hormones necessary for staining life, but also for metabolic activation or inactivation foreign agents such as drugs, food preservatives and additives, insecticides and carcinogens. Moreover, P-450 linked enzyme systems can either be induced or suppressed by these agents with significant biological consequences. Both the wide variety of reactions catalyzed by P-450 and e versatility of these enzyme systems have attracted increasing numbers of investigators to this area. Environmentalists, entonilogists, nutritional biochemists have joined endocrinologists, biochemists, biophysicists, biochemical pharmacologists and toxicologists who originally explored this field. The number of investestimators has proliferated so rapidly that the earlier students f P-450 are little acquainted with the new entries in the field. This is the second time we have taken advantage of the geographical location of Philadelphia to get together the people interested in P-450. Both meetings have been successful, not only scientifically, but socially, also. Therefore, if there are any profits from this current publication, we plan to set up a fund to form a society to perpetuate these Philadelphia Conferences, so that the people working with P-450 can meet, exchange ideas, stimulate new research and enjoy themselves. Such conferences could be held in Philadelphia -- or anywhere else in the world.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.