For a number of years, we have been teaching a course on the chemical, meta bolic, and nutritional aspects of lipids to graduate and postdoctoral students in the health sciences at the University ofCalifornia, Los Angeles. The course was taught in an open-ended manner-that is, after each subject was introduced, a discussion was continued for as long as necessary to explore thoroughly its cur rent status. It became evident that no text was available that could supplement the lectures adequately. This book is an attempt to remedy the deficiency and to treat extensively-although not exhaustively-most aspects of lipids, ranging from their physical and chemical properties, through biochemistry and metabolic pathways, to their role in nutrition. It is intended, as were the lectures, for those who have a basic knowledge of biochemistry, but wish to increase their know ledge of lipids. These may include graduate or advanced students, investigators preparing to enter research in lipids, clinicians, and, indeed, all those who may profit by an increased awareness ofthe importance oflipids. Although most of the subjects treated are given adequate references, it was not our intention that this book would be a complete reference source. Rather, those publications cited are deemed by the authors of each chapter to be impor tant and to lead to further reading. Inevitably, many more references are given for those subjects in which rapid advances are now being made than for those that are somewhat more static.