Diabetes mellitus represents one of the most frequent and serious clinical syn dromes in contemporary medicine. Since the end of the nineteenth century, the endocrine pancreas has been implicated in the pathogenesis of this disease. Several pathologists of the twentieth century detected various lesions and mor phologic alterations in the pancreatic islets of diabetic patients, but the patho physiologic basis of their findings remained long obscure. The systematic mi croscopic work of WILLY GEPTS clarified the views and related the variety in histopathology to differences in origin, duration and clinical expression of the disease. Over the past two decades, the concept of a multifactorial origin of diabetes has become widely accepted. Various agents and mechanisms have been identified which can lead to a quantitative or qualitative deficit in pancre atic B-cells. The purpose of this book is to bring an update on the many path ways which may induce an absolute or relative insufficiency in insulin release and hence a diabetic state. Rather than bringing a complete account on all re search relevant to the understanding of the pathology of the diabetic pancreas, the authors of the various chapters of this volume have focussed on selected processes which can impair B-cell function, survival or regeneration.

Glucagon III complements "Glucagon I" and "II" published in 1983 in this series as "Vols. 66/I" and "II." These three volumes truly represent a "glucagon encyclopedia" and as such have no competitors in the scientific literature worldwide. In this volume, the most recent data on glucagon molecular biology are reviewed together with clinically relevant information on the role of glucagon in the pathophysiology of diabetes, the place of glucagon in medical imaging or in emergency medicine. Chapters are devoted to newly identified members of the glucagon family such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and oxyntomodulin. Glucagon III is a comprehensive review of all information published on this important hormone since 1983 and is "the" reference book on the subject.

His scientific contributions are regarded as classics: the studies about the insulin effect on adipose tissue (together with George F. Cahill Jr. ), his work on the biosyn- thesis and secretion of insulin (together with Lelio Orci and Claes W ollheim) and his studies on various spontaneous and induced diabetes syndromes in rodents (together with Bernard Jeanrenaud and Eleazar Shafrir). Albert Renold will be remembered for a long time by all who knew him for his achievements, for his kindness and his humanity. We dedicate the Proceedings of this symposium to his memory. Werner Creutzfeldt Pierre Lefebvre G6ttingen Liege History and Philosophy of Bayer Pharmaceutical Research W. -D. Busse Fachbereich Forschung Pharma, Bayer AG, D-5600 Wuppertal, FRG Research has a long tradition at Bayer. This year, 1988, marks 100 years of our pharmaceutical activities. In 1888 the first Bayer drug - phenacetin, an antipyreti- was synthesized, starting from a by-product of dye manufacture. This finding led to the establishment of a Pharmaceutical Department within Friedrich Bayer and Co. in Elberfeld, with all its associated facilities (Fig. 1). The beginning of the company itself, however, dates back to 1863. In that year, Friedrich Bayer started the produc- tion of aniline dyestuffs in his private house in Barmen-Rittershausen. During the 125 years of the company's life and the 100 years of pharmaceuticals, many developments and products have been discovered by Bayer researchers and launched by Bayer.