The emergence of the integral field spectroscopy (IFS) has provided astronomers with a new tool for the study of the evolution of galaxies. The spectroscopic mapping of the fluxes and kinematics of the emission and absorption lines of galaxies at different cosmological epochs provides important clues for a better comprehension and understanding of the formation and evolution of these objects. The IFS facilities have been used in the exploration of the properties of star forming galaxies at optical and IR wavelengths, from the local volume up to the earliest cosmological stages.

Metallicity is a fundamental property in the universe: the primordial abundances, the dust content of the interstellar medium, the stellar populations, and the evolution of galaxies and the intergalactic medium are strongly linked to their metal content, since it controls the cooling function and the formation of the first stars and galaxies. This special issue proposes a revision of the impact of the last results on the metal content issued from IFS observations for a wide variety of objects in the universe and the design of new and ambitious programs to extend these studies with the new generation of IFS facilities, including those based on adaptive optics at optical and IR wavelengths. Potential Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Building the metal content of galaxies from the early epochs of the universe
• 2D spatial distribution of metals in the stellar populations and in the interstellar medium
• The role of the environment and feedback on the chemical enrichment of galaxies
• Chemodynamical models versus IFS observations
• IFS instrumental challenges for the next decade

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