  An overview is given of the theoretical work on nucleon spectral functions in
finite nuclei. The consequences of the observed spectral strength distribution
are then considered in the context of the nuclear-matter saturation problem.
Arguments are presented suggesting that short-range correlations are mainly
responsible for the actual value of the observed charge density in 208Pb and by
extension for the empirical value of the saturation density of nuclear matter.
This observation combined with the general understanding of the spectroscopic
strength suggests that a renewed study of nuclear matter, emphasizing the
self-consistent determination of the spectral strength due to short-range and
tensor correlations, may shed light on the perennial nuclear saturation
problem. First results using such a scheme are presented. Arguments are
discussed that clarify the role of long-range correlations and their relevance
for nuclear saturation.
