This book represents the first of the ALZA CONFERENCE SERIES which will deal with a wide variety of topics of biomedical interest. These Conferences are planned to cover a range of subjects from the molecular level, such as drug receptor and drug membrane interactions, to the organ and organismal levels and the dynamics of drug therapy. This year's topic is "PROSTAGLANDINS." It is rapidly becoming clear that prosta- glandins are of great interest and potential utility in therapeutics. An understanding of the role of prostaglandins in the regulation of cell processes should provide insight...

Evidence accumulated over the past decade show that gonadal steroid hormones participate in an important way in the physiological and pa thophysiological regulation of the cardiovascular system. The hor monal profile appears to put males at a disadvantage biologically in terms of cardiovascular diseases. The incidence of hypertension is higher in men than in pre-monopausal women indicating an influence of gender on the hypertensive disease process. Males and females have equivalent cholesterol levels until puberty but males suffer an ex ponential increase in heart disease in their forties,...

There is much evidence to suggest that prostaglandins may have a physiological role to play in the control of thyroid gland metabolism, although the precise nature of this role remains to be defined. Prostaglandins have been found in normal thyroid tissue, and there is evidence of increased levels in some, but not all, cases of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. which may account for the associated diarrhea. Exogenous prostaglandins, like TSH, bind to thyroid plasma mem branes, stimulate the adenylate cyclase-cyclic AMP system, thyroid hormone secretion, iodide organification, colloid...