The tradition of meeting together periodically at Fiesole, in Florence, by now dear to those interested in the problems of Kinins, was respected once again. This year the Symposium "Kinin 1975" was held on the 15th - 17th of July. Participation at the Symposium drew attention to the fact that 1975 was a particularly difficult year due to the delicate international economic situation as well as the time restrictions for organizing the Symposium as a satellite conference to the Sixth International Congress of Pharmacology held in Helsinki, Finland. Despite these difficulties, the "Kinin 175" Symposium was an unquestioned success, due, in great part, to the more than 40 contributors who presented their most current studies at the customary high scientific standard, presentations that provoked and stimulated considerable discussion and debate. While our family tree now includes new and active members, the presence of many members of our "Kinin" society unable to attend was missed. In particular, we mourne the death of Professor E. Werle, one of the most outstanding pioneers in the field of the kallikrein-kinin system. His friendship, participation and counsel was, and will continue to be, sorely missed by his many colleagues and students who are indebted to him for his voluminous and scientifically­ expert contributions continued until the very end of his most full and productive life. As in the past, the atmosphere of friendship and relaxation of the Symposium enhanced the very useful communication and exchange of ideas and information amongst the participants.

Inhalt

Introductory Remarks: Past Present and Future of Kinins.- Bradykinin Antagonism.- A Vasodepressor Peptide in Cohn Fraction III-0 of Human Plasma Proteins.- Generation of Kinin by Plasma Kallikrein and Plasmin and the Effect of ?1-Antitrypsin and Antithrombin III on the Kininogenases.- Potent Kininases Obtained from Mushrooms.- Conformation of Bradykinin in Relation to Solvent Environment.- Permeability Factor and Surface Esterase.- The Regulation of Kallikrein Secretion from Isolated Submandibular Gland Slices by Neurotransmitters, Cyclic Nucleotides and Calcium.- A Sensitive Kinin Liberating Assay for Kininogenase in Rat Urine, Isolated Glomeruli and Tubules of Rat Kidney.- Inhibitors of Kinin-Forming Enzymes.- Mechanism of the Sialagogic Effect Induced by Bradykinin in Dogs: Possible Mediation by Endogenous Prostaglandin.- Kinins and Inflammation: Changes Induced on the Levels of Cyclic Nucleotides.- An Improved Preparation for Determination of Bradykinin.- Effect of Isoproterenol on the Kallikrein Content of the Submandibular Gland of Rats.- Which is the Effective Agent - Bradykinin or Prostaglandins - on the Isolated Mammalian Heart.- Isolation of Porcine Urinary Kallikrein.- The Primary Structure of Pig Pancreatic Kallikrein B.- Bovine Plasma HMW and LMW Kininogens: Isolation and Characterization of the Polypeptide Fragments Produced by Plasma and Tissue Kallikreins.- Purification of Kallikrein from Cat Submaxillary Gland.- Mechanism of Clostripain-Induced Kinin Release from Human, Rat and Canine Plasma.- Algogenic Activity of Human Plasma Following Muscular Work.- Progress on Biochemical Urinary Kallikrein Test.- Biochemical Actions of Fibroblast Kinin-Forming Protease.- Adrenergic and Cholinergic Control of the Activation of the Kallikrein-Kinin System in the Rat Blood.- Prekallikrein and Kallikrein Inhibitor in Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatitis.- Isolation of Porcine Submaxillary Kallikrein.- Kininase II (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) and Endothelial Cells in Culture.- Histamine and Kallikrein System in Man.- Further Evidence on the Subcellular Sites of Kininase II (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme).- The Vasopeptide Kinin System in Acute Clinical Cardiac Diseases.- Plasmatic Prekallikrein and Kallikrein Inhibitor in Pregnancy, Labor, and in Newborn.- Methionyl-Lysyl-Bradykinin: The Kinin Released by Pepsin from Human Kininogens.- Occurrence of Components of the Kallikrein-Kinin System in Human Genital Tract Secretions and Their Possible Function in Stimulation of Sperm Motility and Migration.- An Active Kallikrein-?2-Macroglobulin Complex Generated by Treatment of Human Plasma with Acetone.- Activation of Surface-Bound Hageman Factor: Pre-Eminent Role of High Molecular Weight Kininogen and Evidence for a New Factor.- Cardiovascular and Respiratory Reflexes Elicited by Bradykinin Acting on Receptor Sites (K & P) in the Muscular Circulatory Area.- Leukokinins - Clinical Entities of Neoplasia?.- Action of U. V. Rays on the Experimental Cutaneous Inflammation Induced by Cantharidin.- Kallikreinogen-Kallikrein System During Muscular Work in Patients with Intermittent Claudication: Influence of Taurine Treatment.- Urinary Excretion of Kallikrein Following Myocardial Infarction.- Raised Plasma Kininogen Levels in Rheumatoid Patients - Response to Therapy with Nonsteroidal Anti-Inf1ammatory Drugs.- The Cleavage of a Methionyl-Lysyl-Bradykinin-Like Peptide from Kininogen by a Protease of Human Neutrophil Leukocyte Lysosomes.- The Effect of Water, Sodium Overloading and Diuretics Upon Urinary Kallikrein.- List of Contributors.- Author Index.