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Immunologists need to establish a vibrant dialogue with young people. This is not only important for the continuation and progress of biomedical research, but it can also contribute to the fight against diseases such as HIV/AIDS and can help young people to make informed decisions about lifestyle, medical treatment and ethical issues. Good communication skills are crucial to any scientific career, and the lessons learned from talking with non-scientists can also be useful when writing scientific papers and grants. This article is a personal account of one scientist's experience of communicating biomedical science to young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This year is the 50th anniversary of the publication of a paper by Milan Hasek, in which he showed the phenomenon of immunological tolerance by the selective failure of chimaeric chick-embryo parabionts to produce antibodies against the red blood cells of each other. The discovery of tolerance was credited by the Nobel prize, but excluded Hasek, because he misinterpreted his original experimental results. Hasek exuded an impressive personality and a much admired joie de vivre. With the benefit of hindsight, this article assesses the background of the period and the circumstances that led to this important discovery. I discuss Hasek's experimental ingenuity, the influence of the Lysenkoist genetic doctrine, Hasek's acceptance of the immunological theory to explain his work and his role in establishing a successful institute at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the two recent studies on the importance of Vitamin D3 in regulating immune responses in the skin. The first paper investigated the regulation of molecules that help to combat infection during wound healing. The second paper investigated how epidermal tropism is imprinted on T cells in the skin. Significant information relative to these papers is presented.

An excerpt from the research paper "Immunodominant, Protective Response to the parasite Toxoplasma gondii requires Antigen Processing in the Endoplasmic Reticulum," by N. Blanchard.

An excerpt from the research paper "Thymic Selection Determines γδ T cell effector Fate: antigen-naive cells make interleukin-17 and antigen-experienced cells make interferon γ," by D. C. Jensen.

The article discusses the paper "Cathepsin K-dependent Toll-like receptor 9 signaling revealed in experimental arthritis," by M. Asagiri and colleagues. The study demonstrates the role of NC-2300, an orally active cathepsin K inhibitor, in bone resorption by osteoclasts and in mediating immune responses. The data describe a new role for cathepsin K in Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) signaling in response to unmethylated CpG-containing DNA and in the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-23.

The article discusses recent research in the field of antiviral immunity based on the original research paper "IL-21 is required to control chronic viral infection," by H. Elsaesser. K. Sauer, and D.G. Brooks that was published in the May 7, 2009 issue of "Science." The article mentions T cells, viral infections, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV).

An excerpt from the research paper "Censoring of Autoreactive B cell Development by the Pre-B cell Receptor," by R. A. Keenan.

An excerpt from the research paper "Generation of Follicular Helper Cells is mediated by Interleukin-21 but Independent of T helper 1, 2, or 17 Cell Lineages," by R. I. Nurieva.

The article presents abstracts of papers on immunology including "HIV-1 envelope protein binds to and signals through integrin α4β7, the gut mucosal homing receptor for peripheral T cells," by J. Arthos and colleagues, and "Macrophage and T cell dynamics during the development and disintegration of mycobacterial granulomas," by J.G. Egen.

The article discusses two papers published in "Immunity" which describe the key role of the RAP and RAC2 GTPases in the formation of an immunological synapse. It cites the findings of "The Rap GTPases regulate B cell morphology, immune-synapse formation, and signaling by particulate B cell receptor ligands," by K.B.L. Lin and colleagues, and "Activation of the small GTPase Rec2 via the B cell receptor regulates B cell adhesion and immunological-synapse formation," by E. Arana and colleagues.

The article discusses two studies published in "Nature Medicine" which describe new roles for interleukin-22 (IL-22), an IL-10-family cytokine that is mainly produced by T helper 17 (TH17) cells, in host defense at mucosal surfaces. It highlights the key findings of the papers "Interleukin-22 mediates mucosal host defense against Gram-negative bacterial pneumonia" and "Interleukin-22 mediates early host defense against attaching and effacing bacterial pathogens."

The article presents abstracts of papers on immunology including "Ozone exposure in a mouse model induces airway hyperactivity that requires the presence of natural killer T cells and IL-17," by M. Pichavant and colleagues, and "Repression of the transcription factor Th-POX by Runx complexes in cytotoxic T cell development," by R. Setoguchi and colleagues.

The article introduces papers published within the issue, including one by Iain McInnes and Georg Schett about the complexity of cytokine networks in rheumatoid joints and another by Yuri Rubtsov and Alexander Rudensky on the devastating effect of the dysregulation of just a single cytokine.

The article provides information on immunology research related to inflammation, thymocyte development and technique published in other periodicals. Included are the research papers "A Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies IL23R As an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Gene," by R. H. Duerr et al and "Control of Thymocyte Development and Recombination-Activating Gene Expression By the Zinc Finger Protein Zfp608," by F. Zhang, L. R. Thomas, E. M. Oltz and T. M. Aune.

The article focuses on research on immune responses, regulatory T cells and T-cell signaling. Papers discussed which were published in other periodicals include "Dendritic Cell Stimulation By Mycobacterial Hsp70 is Mediated Through CCR5," by R. A. Floto et al and "Alterations in CD46-Mediated Tr1 Regulatory T Cells in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis," by A. L. Astier et al.

Presents an update on papers related to immunology as of January 2003. Role of a peptide in the activation of natural killer cells; Discovery of the non-T-cell activation linker; Adaptor involved in Toll-like receptor signaling.

Presents an update on papers related to immunology as of January 2003. Impact of cytokines on surface lymphotoxinαβ; Immunoregulatory cells that can mediate graft rejection; Role of interleukin-21 receptor in regulating immunoglobulin production.