Hereditary Disorders of Erythrocyte Metabolism.

Inherited disorders of erythrocyte metabolism have provided a great deal of information on the pathophysiology of congenital hemolytic anemias, and in the wider area of inherited variations in human metabolic pathways. Indeed, the red cell has been to the human biochemical geneticist what Drosophila was to the classical geneticist: an extremely useful tool, easily available, and endowed with an amazing number of inherited variations.

The present volume represents the proceedings of a symposium held in February 1967; it serves as a review of selected aspects of the rapidly evolving field of inherited variations of erythrocyte metabolism. The topics covered range from a description of some aspects of acatalasemia in Japan by Takahara, to an erudite discussion of the contributions of hereditary red cell enzymopathies, to human genetics by Motulsky. Most important enzyme defects are covered, and the list of participants reads like a Who's Who in the field. Editor Beutler