Detailed chemical evolution of galaxies of different morphological
type is presented. In particular, we discuss abundances in the Milky
Way, in Dwarf Spheroidal galaxies of the Local Group and in
Ellipticals, and show how the chemical abundances can impose
constraints on both stellar nucleosynthesis and galaxy formation and
evolution. This approach allows us to conclude that the disk of the
Milky Way formed by slow accretion of cold gas whereas the bulge
formed very fast, that Dwarf Spheroidals evolved with a slow star
formation and strong gas outflow, due either to galactic winds or
tidal stripping, and that elliptical galaxies suffered a downsizing in
star formation, indicating that the most massive ones formed before
the less massive ones.