The carotenoids are not only amongst the most widespread of the naturally occurring groups of pigments, but probably also have the most varied functions; witness their known roles in photokinetic responses of plants, in phototropic responses of fish and as vitamin A precursors in mammals and birds. Pigments with such wide distribution and such diverse functions are obviously of great interest to biological scientists with very different specializa tions, especially as it is unlikely that the study of the functions of carotenoids is anywhere near complete. The primary aim of the present work is to discuss the distribution, bio genesis and function of the carotenoids throughout the plant and animal kingdoms in such a way that, because of, rather than in spite of its bio chemical bias, it will be of value to workers interested in all the biological aspects of these pigments. The biochemical approach is considered the most effective because, generally speaking, most progress in the study of carotenoids in living material has been achieved using biochemical techniques, be they applied by zoologists, botanists, entomologists, microbiologists or other specialists; what is even more important is that a consideration of the present position makes it certain that further fundamental progress will also be made along biochemical lines.

des Plantes (Hermann, Paris), and in 1935 by Lederer's Les Carotenoides des Animaux (Hermann, Paris). Since then a survey such as the present one has not appeared. In order to present a full picture, much of the pre-1934 work has been reconsidered and, as far as is known, every important contribution which has appeared since that date has been discussed. Two peripheral aspects ofthe subject have, however, been omitted, namely (a) the qualita tive and quantitative changes which the carotenoids of plant materials undergo in storage or during processing into food and (b) the carotene (pro-vitamin A) requirements of different animal species; it was felt that the former, about which a great deal has been written, was too technological to be suitable for inclusion in the present volume, whilst the latter is more suitable for a monograph on vitamin A. The very wide distribution of the carotenoids in Nature suggests that, in spite of the superficially diverse functions ascribed to them in different living tissues, there may be some factor or property through which all these functions will eventually be correlated; any suggestion as to the nature of this common property can perhaps come most readily from a comparative approach. Apart from critically surveying the literature this book has been constructed so as to focus attention on comparative data and their possible implications.

Carotenoid Chemistry and Biochemistry covers the proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on Carotenoids, held in Liverpool, United Kingdome on July 26-31, 1981. This symposium highlights the interest in biochemical and biological aspects of carotenes. This book is organized into 25 chapters including chapters on carotenoid chemistry, their structures, synthesis and physical methods, with emphasis on their stereochemistry. Other chapters deal with the chemistry of complexes between carotenoids or retinoids and protein, the novel blue carotenoproteins, and the visual pigments and the nutritionally important retinol-binding proteins. The discussions then shift to animal carotenoids, carotenoid metabolism and transformations, including interesting stereochemical findings. This book also reviews studies of carotenoids in photosynthesis, the industrial importance of carotenoids, medical aspects, particularly the use of carotenoids in treatment against skin photosensitivity and their possible role in protection against cancer. The remaining chapters examine the effects of chemicals on carotenoid biosynthesis and its relevance to herbicide design. This book will be of value to carotenoid scientists and researchers.

This comprehensive, edited book explores carotenoids and their important functional roles in yeast, bacteria and plants and a profound exposition on the structures of carotenoid molecules, focusing in the first of three parts on the biosynthesis of carotenoids. The regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis in photosynthesis as well as in plant, fruits, storage roots and algae is central to the second part, and discoveries about the function of carotenoids in human health feature in the third and final part. Many helpful illustrations, explanations, overviews and examples help to bring readers up to date on relevant themes including carotenogenic genes, carotenoids in fruits and metabolic engineering. The book explores where carotenoids are synthesized in nature, including in carrots and algae. Contributing expert authors examine enzyme functions and plant models, and analyze the structure of carotenoid molecules. The function of carotenoids in photosynthesis and in photosynthetic organs as well as during fruit ripening are then explored. A whole chapter is dedicated to the latest research on apocarotenoids and further chapters cover interesting and novel themes on plastid development and the epigenetic regulation that affects carotenoid synthesis in plants. The metabolic engineering of carotenoids that has been done in fruits, plants, and seeds is another area that readers can explore, along with evidences on the function of carotenoids in human nutrition, as antioxidants, as in the control of lipid metabolism and in the absorption of carotenoids. This is a highly informative and wide-ranging work which will update researchers in the field, as well as supporting students of plant physiology and biotechnology, as supplementary reading.

Carotenoids are of great interest due to their essential biological functions in both plants and animals. However, the properties and functions of carotenoids in natural systems are surprisingly complex. With an emphasis on the chemical aspects of these compounds, Carotenoids: Physical, Chemical, and Biological Functions and Properties presents a b