Mucus In Health and Disease II (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, V. 144)

This second International Symposium on Mucus in Health and Disease once again brings together basic scientists such as Biochemists, Anatomists, Biologists and Clinicians who are dealing with aspects of mucus in the various tracts of the body where it is of such great functional importance. It is fitting that the meeting should take place at Manchester University where there is so much activity in this field and our grateful thanks are due to Dr Eric Chantler for his untiring efforts in organizing this meeting. At the first Mucus meeting, Sir Francis Avery Jones stated "this is a subject which will justify further Symposia, both local and international". As he predicted, this meeting succeeds the first and adds further to our progress in understanding the complex and unique structure and function of the mucus secretion in its various sites of the body. Much was learned from the first meeting and it is hoped that the second will be an appropriate successor to it. The emphasis in this meeting has been to encourage discussion and the presentation of research material. In this respect, review articles have been kept to a minimum. The structure of the Conference has been organized around eight keynote addresses: one on the biosynthesis of the general mucus glycoproteins and another on its physical properties. Other keynote papers are on the biochemical and clinical aspects of mucus in the respiratory, gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts by recognized authorities in these subjects. To maintain the vital aspect of the proceedings, it is intended that they will be published, with the co-operation of Plenum Press, for dissemination shortly after the meeting. In order to achieve this, we have chosen not to include the discussions in favour of speed of production. The review papers provide a valuable statement of the current status of the subject. From this base an exciting collection of research papers have been submitted which contain many significant contributions to our knowledge. The design of the meeting and the presentation of the scientific material has been planned to ensure a stimulating exchange of ideas. This volume, together with the proceedings of the first Symposium on Mucus in Health and Disease, provides the most complete statement of current knowledge in this fascinating interdisciplinary field of study. The quality and diversity of the work presented demonstrates the enthusiasm of the participants upon whom the success of any conference finally rests.

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.