Quark mass matrices and observable quantities

A nearly historical account of quark mass matrix models is given, and the structure of quark mass matrices in the standard model is studied. For a minimal parameter basis suggested earlier, where M-u is diagonal and Md-11, M-d13, M-d31 are zero, the dependence of mass matrices on the CP violating phase delta of V-CKM is reported: all parameters are almost independent, except Md22 and Md23, and the equality \Md22\ = Md23 is obtained for a value of delta very close to the value which is favored by experiments. Moreover, on this basis, Md12 similar or equal to Md21 and Md33 similar or equal to 2Md32. Some comments on mass matrices in left-right symmetric models are added.