In this volume a distinguished group of internationally renowned clinicians and basic researchers discuss the present state of knowledge of the etiologyand pathogenesis of Dupuytren's contracture, a disease responsible for a considerable portion of disabilities within the working population allover the world. Although the riddle of how the contracture of the palmar fascia develops is still unsolved, the data on the pathobiochemistry and clinic of Dupuytren's Disease achieved in recent years has led to a better understanding of the biochemical and morphological processes underlying the deformation and malfunction of the afflicted tissues. Research in Dupuytren's Disease now enters the era of molecular medicine, which opens up new experimental means of studying the pathological changes which occur during the formation of the contracture on a molecular level. In particular, data are presented as to the role of specific biological macromolecules influencing the phenotype expression of the palmar fascia cells which are involved in autoimmune reactions and present both at the cell surface as well as in the extracellular matrix to regulate cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions. In vitro cell culture models to investigate fibro-cytic modulations are available and havebeen applied to study the effects of specific biological molecules on isolated cells from healthy palmar fascia and Dupuytren's contracture. Complementary evaluations of morphological, epidemiological, and clinical data contribute essentially to the present understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of Dupuytren's Disease. This comprehensive and informative summary of the state of the art is completed by numerous references affixed to the individual contributions.