Three aspects of low-order density matrix (DM) theory will be reviewed, following some brief comments on analogies with, and differences from, density functional theory (DFT). First, the local energy equation, involving first-to-third order DMs, will be set out, and applied exactly to model spin-compensated two-electron atoms. Explicit relations known between low-order DMs for harmonic confinement and arbitrary interparticle interactions will be reported for such model atoms. Secondly, the March-Young proposal for use variationally, satisfying N -representability, will be set out for spin-free