This Doctoral thesis gives an introduction to the concept of kernel functionsand their signicance in the theory of special functions. Of particularinterest is the use of kernel function methods for constructing exact solutionsof Schrodinger type equations, in one spatial dimension, with interactions governedby elliptic functions. The method is applicable to a large class of exactlysolvable systems of Calogero-Moser-Sutherland type, as well as integrable generalizationsthereof. It is known that the Schrodinger operators with ellipticpotentials have special limiting cases with exact eigenfunctions given by orthogonalpolynomials. These special cases are discussed in greater detail inorder to explain the kernel function methods with particular focus on the Jacobipolynomials and Jack polynomials. / <p>QC 20161003</p>