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All of the chapters in Harper's Illustrated Biochemistry were rigorously edited, involving their amalgamation, division, or deletion, and many were reduced to approximately one-half to two-thirds of their previous size. This has been effected without loss of crucial information but with gain in conciseness and clarity. Harper’s Illustrated Biochemistry is divided into two introductory chapters (“Biochemistry & Medicine” and “Water & pH”) followed by six main sections. Section I deals with the structures and functions of proteins and enzymes, the workhorses of the body. Because almost all of the reactions in cells are catalyzed by enzymes, it is vital to understand the properties of enzymes before considering other topics. Section II explains how various cellular reactions either utilize or release energy, and it traces the pathways by which carbohydrates and lipids are synthesized and degraded. It also describes the many functions of these two classes of molecules. Section III deals with the amino acids and their many fates and also describes certain key features of protein catabolism. Section IV describes the structures and functions of the nucleotides and nucleic acids, and covers many major topics such as DNA replication and repair, RNA synthesis and modification, and protein synthesis. It also discusses new findings on how genes are regulated and presents the principles of recombinant DNA technology. Section V deals with aspects of extracellular and intracellular communication.