It is our pleasure to present the first issue of the Journalof Molecular Endocrinology. We aim to make the new journal amajor front-line high quality international publication forpapers on molecular aspects of cellular function in endocrineand related systems. Clearly the expansion of our knowledgeof molecular mechanisms, deriving inter alia from technologicaladvances in molecular biology and from a clearer understandingof receptor structure and function and intracellular signallingsystems, is having a major impact upon endocrinology at alllevels. Furthermore, the demonstration of paracrine and autocrinesystems in many tissues is forcing a re-examination of manyof the basic concepts of endocrinology. Indeed many substancesnot previously considered to be hormones are being found tosubserve a 'hormonal' or 'extracellular messenger' role. Thusmolecular endocrinology now embraces the mechanisms involvedwith the synthesis, processing, release and action of a widevariety of substances including growth
