The aim of these two volumes is to provide an up-to-date text about the developments in the field during the last 5 - 10 years. Authors with an outstanding record both as active investigators and as critical reviewers have been selected. The result is an integrated collection of contributions forming a fundamental reference work for undergraduate and graduate students, and for those involved in research and teaching in biochemistry and related subjects. Part II contains 16 papers concerned with protein and peptide hormones and growth factors, their receptors, transducing systems, mechanisms of their release and their biological and biochemical actions.