Advances in Lipid Research, Volume 12 is a seven-chapter text that focuses on the significant progress in lipid metabolism. The opening chapter reviews the relationships between plasma and tissue lipids and atherosclerosis. Understanding the dynamics of exchange of plasma lipoproteins with aortic tissue is the basis of understanding the etiology of this disease and the approaches to therapy. The succeeding chapters describe the phases of lipid metabolism in cultured cells and the influences of various dietary components on the specific enzymes of fatty acid and cholesterol biogenesis. Other chapters discuss the role of phospholipids in transport and enzymic reactions, membrane fluidity, aspects of lipid-protein interactions, and the physiologic role of thyroid lipids. The closing chapters explore the chemistry and biological function of glycosyl glycerides, as well as the physiopathology of the biguanidines, a class of oral hypoglycemic agents. This book will prove useful to lipid chemists, biochemists, and researchers.