This volume, the third in the series "The Prostaglandin System," assembles most of the lecture notes from the International School of Pharmacology on "Leukotrienes and Prostacyclin" that took place in Erice, Sicily at the "Ettore Majorana" Centre on September 10-12, 1981. The course, which was a NATO Advanced Study Institute, further emphasized the rapid growth of the field and raised considerable interest on many pathophysiological aspects related to leukotrienes and prostacyclin and their clinical implications. We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all the invited speakers not only for their important contribu tions before and during the course but also for their ability in creating an atmosphere in which all questions were legitimate and all lines of investigations were encouraged. F. Berti G. Folco G. Velo CONTENTS Phospholipases: Link between Membrane Phospholipids and Arachidonate Metabolites.. ..... ..... . .. ... .. .. 1 H. van den Bosch The Leukotrienes: Mediators of Immediate Hypersensitivity Reactions and Inflammation.......................... 15 Bengt Samuels son Biosynthesis and Metabolism of Leukotrienes............... 43 Par Westlund and Elisabeth Granstrom Analysis of Hydroxy Acids.................... . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Walter C. Hubbard and Douglass F. Taber Assay of Leukotrienes........... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 . . . .

Inhalt
Phospholipases: Link between Membrane Phospholipids and Arachidonate Metabolites.- The Leukotrienes: Mediators of Immediate Hypersensitivity Reactions and Inflammation.- Biosynthesis and Metabolism of Leukotrienes.- Analysis of Hydroxy Acids.- Assay of Leukotrienes.- Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Pharmacology of Leukotrienes.- Pharmacology of Leukotriene C4 in Guinea-pig.- Pulmonary Pharmacology of the SRS-A Leukotrienes.- Effects of Leukotrienes C4 and D4, Cyclic AMP and Methylation Reactions on Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in Rat Peritoneal Macrophages.- Inhibition of Arachidonic Acid Metabolism.- Calmodulin Regulates Thromboxane and Prostacyclin Biosynthesis and Metabolism.- 6-Keto-Prostaglandin E1: Biosynthesis and Circulatory Effects.- Metabolism of Prostaglandin D2 by 11-Ketoreductase in the Rabbit Liver.- An in Vivo Aggregometer.- Inhibition of Platelet Aggregation and Cardiovascular Effect of 5E-13,14-Didehydro Carboprostacyclin and 5E-13,14-Didehydro-20-Methyl-Carboprostacyclin.- Involvement of Prostaglandins in the Fetal and Neonatal Circulation.- Prostaglandins and Their Synthesis Inhibitors in Cancer.- Clinical Use of Prostacyclin in Vascular Disease.- Diagnostic Use of Urinary Thromboxane B2.- Acute Arachidonate Toxicity.- List of Lecturers.- List of Participants.