Sir Francis Avery Jones 149 Harley Street, London, WlN 2DE, U.K. This first international symposium on Mucus in Health and Disease brought together medical scientists, physiologists, pharmacologists, physicians, surgeons, gynaecologists, ophthalmologists, anatomists, biologists, medical engineers and biochemists - a spectrum which indicates the wide field of interest in mucus both in health and in disease. The idea for the meeting came from Dr. S. Gottfried whose researches led to the development of carbenoxolone, a substance which stimulates mucus production and in this way favours the healing of peptic ulcers. The idea was enthusiastically welcomed by Professor Dennis Parke and he, and Mr. Max Elstein, have been the dynamo behind the meeting. The opening keynote address by Professor Clamp set the scene for the Symposium, painting a broad canvas and highlighting the main features. We cannot do without mucus, irritating though it may be if there is too much or too little, and in so many systems of the body it plays a vital role. For the first time the specialists in different systems of the body have had the opportunity of coming together and discussing their special problems - a cross-fertilisation which proved to be most valuable, not only for one another but also for the medical scientists who had been closely concerned with the chemistry and physical properties of mucus.

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Keynote Address.- Mucus in Health and Disease.- Mucus Production and Its Regulation.- Functional Anatomy of Mucus-Secreting Cells.- Epithelial Cell Turnover and Mucus Production in Man.- The Morphology of the Gastrointestinal Tract.- Mucus-Producing Cells of the Tracheobronchial Tree.- Dynamic Anatomy of the Cervical Epithelium.- Influence of Pilocarpine and Ammonia Vapour on the Secretion and Structure of Cat Tracheal Mucins: Differentiation of Goblet and Submucosal Gland Cell Secretions.- Control of Biochemical Parameters in Glycoprotein Production.- Factors Regulating the Changes in Cervical Mucus in Different Hormonal States.- The Control of Submaxillary Gland Mucin Production.- Regulation of the Secretory Cycles of Mucous and Serous Cells in the Human Bronchial Gland.- Physical and Chemical Properties of Mucus.- Function and Properties of Epithelial Mucus.- Basic Rheological Concepts.- Functional Aspects of Mucus Rheology.- Physical Properties of Bronchial Secretion.- Physical Properties of Cervical Mucus.- Gastric Mucus Viscosity and Peptic Ulcer.- Studies of Glycoproteins from Mucociliary Secretions.- Chemistry and Biosynthesis of Mucin Glycoproteins.- A Tentative Model for the Structure of Bovine Oestrus Cervical Mucin.- Structure and Function in Gastric Mucus.- The Turnover of Mucin Glycoprotein in the Stomach.- Mucus in Disease.- Derangements of Biosynthesis, Production and Secretion of Mucus in Gastrointestinal Injury and Disease.- Malfunction of Intestinal Mucus and Mucus Production.- Cervical Factor in Fertility Regulation.- The Interaction between Sperm and Cervical Mucus in Couples with Antisperm Antibodies.- Modification of Mucus in Animal Models of Disease.- Mucin Histochemistry in the Detection of Early Malignancy in the Colonic Epithelium.- The Biochemical Pharmacology of Mucus.- Glycoprotein Alteration in Human Colonic Adenocarcinoma.- Treatment of Mucus Hypersection in Human Disease.- Evaluation and Treatment of Cervical Mucus Diseases Leading to Infertility.- Keynote Address.- Mucus in Retrospect.- Abstracts of Free Communications.- List of Contributors and Chairmen.