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Article Contents

ABSTRACT

1.INTRODUCTION
- What is a dE galaxy ?
- A brief history
- Theory

2.STRUCTURE
- Morphological distinction
- Photometric properties

3.KINEMATICS AND DYNAMICS
- The fundamental plane
- (Non-) rotational support
- Local dE's and dark matter

4.STELLAR CONTENT
- The local dwarfs
- Colors and spectra of cluster dE's
- Correlations between stellar populations and structure

5.LUMINOSITY FUNCTIONS
- Selection effects
- Clusters vs. field

6.SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND CLUSTERING PROPERTIES
- Distribution within clusters
- Dwarf companions in the field

7.EVOLUTIONARY SCENARIOS
- Gravitational collapse
- Biasing
- Cooling
- Suppression of star formation: external agents
- Suppression of star formation: internal agents
- Secular evolutoin of irregulars to dE's
- dE's as debris

8. APPLICATIONS TO COSMOLOGY
- Dwarf ellipticals as distance indicators
- Contribution to faint galaxy counts

9. CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCES