Based on the Second Edition of Marks' Basic Medical Biochemistry: A Clinical Approach, Marks' Essentials of Medical Biochemistry has been streamlined to focus on only the most essential biochemical concepts important to medical students. The authors present facts and pathways to emphasize how the underlying biochemistry is related to the body's overall physiological functions. This text presents patients to the students as the biochemistry is being discussed, which strengthens the link between biochemistry and medicine and allows the student to learn about this interaction as the biochemistry is presented. Each chapter includes clinical and biochemical notes and comments, questions and answers to encourage further thinking, and suggested references for those who would like to pursue a particular topic in more depth.