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Our immune system defends us against infection by employing multiple lines of defense. The relevance of the immune response in human health, disease prevention, and vaccinations becomes evident when the immune system is compromised as in the case of pathogenic infections or autoimmune diseases. The reader will gain a fundamental understanding of the essential principles of immunology, such as how our immune system recognizes/fights infectious agents, how our body differentiates between foreign and self-cells/molecules, and how the memory from previous infections aids in a faster and more effective immune response. The book is divided into 17 chapters, providing an overview of the immune system and its components, including its organs and cells. Chapters on the major histocompatibility complex, the complement system, hypersensitivity and tolerance, antibody diversity through DNA rearrangements, and autoimmune diseases are included in the book which further broadens the understanding of this very complex system of our body. Chapters on transplantation immunology and vaccines provide a perspective on the application of these immunological concepts and will be of great interest to readers.Key features of the book: Simple, direct, and lucid language Comprehensive coverage of concepts for better understanding Well-labeled illustrations, flowcharts, and tables for enhanced learning Every chapter is followed up with a detailed summary and questionnaire A detailed glossary for users to know the right words Chapters contributed/reviewed by experienced experts in this field The book provides broad, accessible, and up-to-date information about immunological perspectives to biotechnologists, biomedical scientists, biochemists, molecular biologists, and students from various streams of life sciences, including zoology, biotechnology, and microbiology, as well as instant access to a wealth of information.

The Novartis Foundation Series is a popular collection of the proceedings from Novartis Foundation Symposia, in which groups of leading scientists from a range of topics across biology, chemistry and medicine assembled to present papers and discuss results. The Novartis Foundation, originally known as the Ciba Foundation, is well known to scientists and clinicians around the world.

'Research on immunity has dramatically expanded in recent six decades, yielding exciting new information concerning the molecules and cells that initiate the multi-faceted processes combined under the term'Molecular Immunity'. These processes are crucial for protection against invaders, but are also responsible for certain pathogenic conditions. Prof. Kendall Smith, a prominent contributor to this field, provides in this book, for the first time, the detailed history of thoughts and consequent achievements in the field of cellular immunology.'Dr Igal GeryScientist EmeritusNational Eye Institute, NIHThis book covers a scientific history of the discoveries in immunology of the past 60-years, i.e. what was discovered, who made the advances and how they accomplished them, and why others did not.All molecular advances occurred in the last 60 years, and no one has described them.

The interactions of the biomaterials with the host immune system is crucial for their functionality. This book aims to provide the reader with a better understanding of the role of the immune system in biomaterial applications. For this end, the book has dedicated chapters for i) explaining immune cells taking part in immune response to biomaterials/immune systems interface; ii) the effect of biomaterial shape, form and physicochemical properties on the response of immune system; iii) biofilm formation on implanted materials as a failure of immune system/biomaterial interactions; iv) tissue-specific effects of immune response and its consequences for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine; v) immune reaction in a clinical context (periodontology). In the field of biomaterials there are significant advances in using immunomodulation techniques to improve the success rates of implantable materials. For better understanding of such techniques it is required to have a full grasp of the biomaterial–immune system interactions. This would greatly enhance the understanding of why the human body reacts to implants in a certain way and how to improve the clinical outcomes by developing immune-instructive biomaterials. Provides keen insight into biomaterial–immune cell interactions Presents an explanation of state-of-the-art methodologies in immunomodulation Offers a concise and simple-to-understand treatment of biomaterial–immune cell interactions for materials scientists in a biology heavy topic Explores a comprehensive overview of biomaterial related complications Provides extensive references at the end of each chapter to enhance study for this very hot research area

First Published in 1979, this book offers a full, comprehensive guide into the potential application of immune and tumor cells. Carefully compiled and filled with a vast repertoire of notes, diagrams, and references this book serves as a useful reference for students of oncology, and other practitioners in their respective fields.

The structure, functions, and interactions of myeloid cells have long been the focus of research and therapeutics development. Yet, much more remains to be discovered about the complex web of relationships that makes up the immune systems of animals. Scientists today are applying genome-wide analyses, single-cell methods, gene editing, and modern imaging techniques to reveal new subclasses of differentiated myeloid cells, new receptors and cytokines, and important interactions among immune cells. In Myeloid Cells in Health and Disease: A Synthesis, Editor Siamon Gordon has assembled an international team of esteemed scientists to provide their perspectives of myeloid cells during innate and adaptive immunity. The book begins by presenting the foundational research of Paul Ehrlich, Elie Metchnikoff, and Donald Metcalf. The following chapters discuss evolution and the life cycles of myeloid cells; specific types of differentiated myeloid cells, including macrophage differentiation; and antigen processing and presentation. The rest of the book is organized by broad topics in immunology, including the recruitment of myeloid and other immune cells following microbial infection the role of myeloid cells in the inflammation process and the repair of damaged tissue the vast arsenal of myeloid cell secretory molecules, including metalloproteinases, tumor necrosis factor, histamine, and perforin receptors and downstream signaling pathways that are activated following ligand-receptor binding roles of myeloid cells during microbial and parasite infections contributions of myeloid cells in atherosclerosis myeloid-derived suppressor cells in tumor development and cancer Myeloid Cells in Health and Disease: A Synthesis will benefit graduate students and researchers in immunology, hematology, microbial pathogenesis, infectious disease, pathology, and pharmacology. Established scientists and physicians in these and related fields will enjoy the book's rich history of myeloid cell research and suggestions for future research directions and potential therapies.

This book is focused on the analysis of the role played by immune cell components in the angiogenic process associated with inflammation and tumor growth. Both innate and adaptive immune cells are involved in the mechanisms of endothelial cell proliferation, migration and activation, through the production and release of a large spectrum of pro-angiogenic mediators. These may create the specific microenvironment that favors an increased rate of tissue vascularization. The link between chronic inflammation and tumorigenesis was first proposed by Rudolf Virchow in 1863 after the observation that infiltrating leukocytes are a hallmark of tumors and first established a causative connection between the lymph reticular infiltrate at sites of chronic inflammation and the development of cancer. Tumors were described as wounds that never heal and surgeons have long described the tendency of tumors to recur in healing resection margin and it has been reported that wound healing environment provides an opportunistic matrix for tumor growth. As angiogenesis is the result of a net balance between the activities exerted by positive and negative regulators, this book will also provide information on some anti-angiogenic properties of immune cells that may be utilized for a potential pharmacological use as anti-angiogenic agents in inflammation as well as in cancer. The work is written for researchers in the field and also for graduate students which approach this matter.

The book presents the latest findings on C-type lectin receptors, focusing on individual receptors and their signaling. In recent years there have been great advances in the understanding of the function of these receptors as a newly emerging family of pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) for pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Comprising four parts: ITAM-coupled Activating Receptors; HemITAM-bearing Receptors; ITIM-bearing Receptors; and Other Receptors and Related Topics, this comprehensive review covers a broad range of C-type lectin receptors. The updated information on C-type lectin receptors and their ligands provided will appeal to a wide readership, from basic immunologists to physicians and surgeons. In addition, sections on novel drug development make this a valuable resource for pharmaceutical scientists.

Popular for its highly visual, straightforward approach, Cellular and Molecular Immunology delivers an accessible yet thorough understanding of this active and fast-changing field. Drs. Abul K. Abbas, Andrew H. Lichtman, and Shiv Pillai present key updates in this new edition to cover the latest developments in antigen receptors and signal transduction in immune cells, mucosal and skin immunity, cytokines, leukocyte-endothelial interaction, and more. With additional online features, this is an ideal resource for medical, graduate and undergraduate students of immunology who need a clear, introductory text for immunology courses.Consult this title on your favorite e-reader, conduct rapid searches, and adjust font sizes for optimal readability. Develop a thorough, clinically relevant understanding of immunology through a clear overview of immunology with a distinct focus on the management of human disease. Visualize immunologic processes more effectively. Meticulously developed and updated illustrations, 3-dimensional art, and all-new animations provide a detailed, visual description of the key immunologic and molecular processes. Grasp the details of experimental observations that form the basis for the science of immunology at the molecular, cellular, and whole-organism levels and draw the appropriate conclusions. Find information more quickly and easily through an organized chapter structure and a more logical flow of material. Glean all essential, up-to-date, need-to-know information about immunology and molecular biology through extensive updates that cover cytokines, innate immunity, leukocyte-endothelial interactions, signaling, costimulation, and more. Benefit from numerous new figures and tables that facilitate easier retention of the material; quick summaries of each chapter; and nearly 400 illustrations that clarify key concepts.

This volume presents a collection of reviews derived from work presented at the Aegean Conference: “5th Crossroads Between Innate and Adaptive Immunity”. This meeting was the fifth in a series, and assembled a team of scientists working on mechanisms by which the innate immune system of the host senses pathogens, the cellular and signaling networks that orchestrate the innate response and antigen presentation and adaptive immunity. The importance of the crosstalk between innate immunity and the adaptive immune response has only recently started to be appreciated. Although it is well recognized that dendritic cells, NK cells, NK-T cells and T cells are all critical for the host response to pathogens, the respective fields that study the biology of these immune cells tend to exist in parallel worlds with minimum exchange of information and ideas. This fragmentation hinders the integration of these fields towards a unified theory of host response. The Aegean Conference “Crossroads between Innate and Adaptive Immunity” brought together leading international scientists and experts to address critical areas of Innate and Adaptive Immunity, a necessary step in the development of more efficient scientific exchange and crosspollination between these fields. This conference attracted scientists from all over the world to discuss their latest findings on the various aspects of Innate and Adaptive Immunity, and maximized scientific interchange through lecture presentations, poster sessions and informal discussions.

Immunological Surveillance

Immuno Systems Biology aims to study the immune system in the more integrated manner on how cells and molecules participate at different system levels to the immune function. Through this book Kumar Selvarajoo introduces to physicists, chemists, computer scientists, biologists and immunologists the idea of an integrated approach to the understanding of mammalian immune system. Geared towards a researcher with limited immunological and computational analytical experience, the book provides a broad overview to the subject and some instruction in basic computational, theoretical and experimental approaches. The book links complex immunological processes with computational analysis and emphasizes the importance of immunology to the mammalian system.

Cellular and Molecular Immunology takes a comprehensive yet straightforward approach to the latest developments in this active and fast-changing field. Drs. Abul K. Abbas, Andrew H. Lichtman, and Shiv Pillai present sweeping updates in this new edition to cover antigen receptors and signal transduction in immune cells, mucosal and skin immunity, cytokines, leukocyte-endothelial interaction, and more. This reference is the up-to-date and readable textbook you need to master the complex subject of immunology. Recognize the clinical relevance of the immunology through discussions of the implications of immunologic science for the management of human disease. Grasp the details of experimental observations that form the basis for the science of immunology at the molecular, cellular, and whole-organism levels and draw the appropriate conclusions. Stay abreast of the latest advances in immunology and molecular biology through extensive updates that cover cytokines, innate immunity, leukocyte-endothelial interactions, signaling, costimulation, and more. Visualize immunologic processes more effectively through a completely revised art program with redrawn figures, a brighter color palette, and more 3-dimensional art. Find information more quickly and easily through a reorganized chapter structure and a more logical flow of material.

Immunological memory has fascinated microbiologists and immunologists for decades as one of the new frontiers to conquer to better understand the response to pathogens, cancer and vaccination. Over the past decade, attention has turned to the intrinsic properties of the memory T cells themselves, as it has become clear that the eradication of both infected cells and tumors requires T cells. This book is an attempt to capture the wave of discoveries associated with these recent studies. Its chapters represent a wide collection of topics related to memory T cells by laboratories that have invested their skills and knowledge to understand the biology and the principles upon which memory T cells are generated, maintained and expanded upon re-encounter with antigen. Ultimately, these studies are all aimed at a better understanding of the function of memory T cells in protection against disease.

Autophagy is a fundamental biological process that enables cells to autodigest their own cytosol during starvation and other forms of stress. It has a growing spectrum of acknowledged roles in immunity, aging, development, neurodegeneration, and cancer biology. An immunological role of autophagy was first recognized with the discovery of autophagy's ability to sanitize the cellular interior by killing intracellular microbes. Since then, the repertoire of autophagy's roles in immunity has been vastly expanded to include a diverse but interconnected portfolio of regulatory and effector functions. Autophagy is an effector of Th1/Th2 polarization; it fuels MHC II presentation of cytosolic (self and microbial) antigens; it shapes central tolerance; it affects B and T cell homeostasis; it acts both as an effector and a regulator of Toll-like receptor and other innate immunity receptor signaling; and it may help ward off chronic inflammatory disease in humans. With such a multitude of innate and adaptive immunity functions, the study of autophagy in immunity is one of the most rapidly growing fields of contemporary immunological research. This book introduces the reader to the fundamentals of autophagy, guides a novice and the well-informed reader alike through different immunological aspects of autophagy as well as the countermeasures used by highly adapted pathogens to fight autophagy, and provides the expert with the latest, up-to-date information on the specifics of the leading edge of autophagy research in infection and immunity.

To read current biomedical science, one has to have a working knowledge of how important effector molecules cause transduction of their signal within cells, altering the control of genes. This work aims to provide that basic knowledge for medical readers. Students of immunology or cell biology will note its relevance. One will learn how platelets, macrophages, neutrophils, T and B lymphocytes and natural killer cells perform their functions and how skin, breast, prostate and colon cancers emerge. The associated diagrams and tables are used to obviate extensive text. Appropriate references to articles and reviews by workers in each field are given so that further consideration can easily be undertaken. We are all at differing stages of our appreciation of immunology and of pat- physiology. Some persons will have a profound background in biochemistry or molecular biology. Others will have a reminiscence of lectures received years ago. Since this work is principally for clinical doctors, the sections that can be avoided at first reading are marked with an asterisk (•). Always proceed line by line and think of associations that you know. Do you feel comfortable with the statement, “Interleukin 6 stimulates glucose uptake in renal proximal tubular cells, and that action is associated with Stat3, PI3K/Akt, MAPKs and NF-kB signal pathways”? If not, please read on.

Systems biology and computational biology have recently become prominent areas of research in the biomedical community, especially in the area of cell biology. Given that much information on genes and their protein products has become available, the big question is how the individual components interact and work together, and how this determines the functioning of cells, organs, and organisms. Long before the popularity of systems biology in biomedicine, however, such approaches have been used successfully in a di?erent area of biology: population ecology. Research in the area of population dynamics - vestigated complex interactions between di?erent populations of organisms, such as the dynamics of competition and predation, food webs, community structure, as well as the epidemiology of infectious diseases. In this?eld, t- oretical biology and mathematical modeling have become an integral part of research. Mathematical models allowed people to obtain interesting and counter-intuitive insights into how complex interactions among di?erent p- ulations can play out. Such mathematical studies not only gave rise to - teresting theoretical ideas, but also provided the basis for the design of new experimental work and de?ned major questions and directions of research. Around 1990, such population dynamic concepts, and the use of mathema- cal/computational approaches, started to be applied to the in vivo dynamics between viruses and the immune system. These interactions have many s- ilarities to ecological, epidemiological, and evolutionary principles. Consider theepidemiologicalspreadofapathogen(suchasthecommoncold)througha population of hosts.

At first glance, the nervous and immune systems appear very different. However, both systems have developed mechanisms for memory formation – though of quite different quality and significance for the organism. One striking example is that both systems form and communicate via synapses armed with similar sets of proteins. This collection of reviews, contributed by internationally recognized immunologists and molecular and cellular neurobiologists, puts side by side cellular communication devices and signaling mechanisms in the immune and nervous systems and discusses mechanisms of interaction between the two systems, the significance of which has only recently been fully appreciated.

Regulatory T-cells are essential components of the immune system, and several different subsets of regulatory T-cells have been described. Considerable regulatory function has been attributed to the CD4+CD25+ T-cell subset. These cells act by suppressing adaptive and possibly innate immune responses thereby maintaining or restoring the balance between immunity and tolerance. The suppressive effects of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cells are cell-contact dependent. Recent developments and viewpoints in the field of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cells as well as the potential use of regulatory T-cells in immunotherapy of inflammatory diseases are discussed in this volume. By linking data from experimental models with recent findings from the clinic, this book will be of interest to immunologists and other biomedical researchers as well as clinicians interested in the regulation and manipulation of the immune response during inflammatory disease.

Active specific immunotherapy is a promising but investigational modality in the management of cancer patients. Currently, several different cancer vaccine formulations such as peptides, proteins, antigen-pulsed dendritic cells, whole tumor cells, etc. in combination with various adjuvants and carriers are being evaluated in clinical trials (1-3). To determine the optimal cancer vaccine strategy, a surrogate immunological end-point that correlates with clinical outcome needs to be defined, since it would facilitate the rapid comparison of these various formulations. Traditional immunological assays such as ELISA, proliferation and cytotoxicity assays can detect immune responses in vaccinated patients but are not quantitative. In contrast, novel assays such as enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay, intracellular cytokine assay and tetramer assay can quantitate the frequency of antigen-specific T cells. Of these, the ELISPOT assay has the 5 lowest detection limit with 1/10 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and has been determined to be one of the most useful assays to evaluate immune response to cancer vaccines (4). However, the IFN-? ELISPOT assay is not an exclusive measure of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity as non-cytotoxic cells can also secrete IFN-?. Additionally, CTL with lytic activity do not always secrete IFN-? (5). A more relevant approach to assess functional activity of cytotoxic lymphocytes would be to measure the secretion of molecules that are associated with lytic activity. One of the major mechanisms of cell-mediated cytotoxicity involves exocytosis of cytoplasmic granules from the effector toward the target cell.

A comprehensive examination of this burgeoning area of important research.

Over the last decade, enormous progress in the understanding of T-cell homing has made it possible to identify the multitude of molecules involved, such as cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules, and to unravel their complex interactions resulting in controlled, non-random T-cell recirculation. These insights are now being explored therapeut

Covers the foundation concepts of immunology and their application to the real world of diseases and health.

Leading investigators and clinicians detail the different mechanisms used by tumors to escape and impair the immune system and then spell out possible clinical strategies to prevent or reverse tumor-induced immune dysfunction. The authors review the mechanisms of immune dysfunction and evasion mechanisms in histologically diverse human tumors, focusing on tumor-induced molecular defects in T cells and antigen-presenting cells (dendritic cells and tumors), that may serve as biomarkers for patient prognosis. They discuss the means by which these immune functions may be protected or restored in order to more effectively support the process of tumor rejection in situ. Cutting-edge techniques are outlined with the capacity to monitor the strength and quality of patients'immune responses using immunocytometry, MHC-peptide tetramers combined with apoptosis assay, ELISPOT assay, and detection of MHC-TAA peptide complexes on tumor cells.

Immunologists as well investigators in other disciplines may often use protocols involving the isolation, cultures and characterization of different types of leukocytes. Advanced Methods in Cellular Immunology is a collection of techniques in an easy-to-use format.Each chapter provides readers with related program information, a step-by-step de

The explosion of information on immuneneuroendocrine interactions has continued unabated since the first and second editions of this volume appeared in 1988 and 1992. This third revised and enlarged edition offers an authoritative update on the latest advances in knowledge of the molecular, structural, and cellular bases of bidirectional communication between the immune and neuroendocrine systems. The eight invited chapters review current evidence that the immune system produces and responds to neuroendocrine peptide hormones and neurotransmitters; that the nervous system produces and responds to cytokines; that the immune system can regulate the neuroendocrine system and vice versa; that the immune system is innervated, and that the neuroendocrine and immune systems share a set of hormone and cytokine receptors. All chapters and bibliographies from the second edition have been expanded to include the most recent literature in these areas. In addition, the text provides a new chapter which is the first to compare the three-dimensional structures of cytokines and hormones complexed with their receptors. As the only text to provide an up-to-the-minute account of the cellular, molecular and structural mechanisms of communication between the immune and neuroendocrine systems, this well-written volume will be of interest to many scientists in the fields of immunology, endocrinology, physiology, neuroscience and structural biology, and will also be a valuable resource for clinicians.

Expert contributions cover disorders, such as mastocytosis and respiratory and cutaneous allergy, which are known to be associated with these cells. The less well-known involvement of the latter in atherosclerosis and gastrointestinal, cardiac, rheumatic and neoplastic diseases is emerging as an area of considerable interest as several informative chapters show.

Natural and Induced Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity: Effector and Regulatory Mechanisms contains the proceedings of the Erwin Riesch Symposium organized on the occasion of the Fifth Centennial of the University of Tübingen in Germany on October 20-23, 1977. The symposium provided a forum for reviewing the progress that has been made in understanding the effector and regulatory mechanisms underlying natural and induced cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Topics covered range from the immunobiology of natural killer cells to the role of macrophages as regulator, accessory, and effector cells in cytotoxicity. Comprised of 27 chapters, this book begins by analyzing the characteristics of natural cytotoxic cells in mice, followed by a discussion on the generation in vivo of mouse natural cytotoxic cells and the role of cytotoxic T cells in the local defense against solid tumors. Subsequent chapters focus on the natural cytotoxicity of human lymphocytes; opposing effects of interferon on natural killer and target cells; susceptibility of cloned melanoma to natural cytotoxicity; and cell-mediated immunity against avian virus-induced tumor cells. The book also examines alternative routes of entry for cell surface antigens into the immune system before concluding with a chapter that considers interferon induction by Corynebacterium parvum. This monograph should be of value to students, researchers, and practitioners in the fields of biology and immunology.

The importance of thymus-dependent cells, or T cells, in the generation of a successful immune response was first realized in the early sixties. In the follow­ ing two decades, a succession of elegant experiments established the antigen specificity of T cells and their ability to perform both as regulatory and effector cells. T cells were shown to be essential in most immune reactions, playing a crucial role in augmenting the activity of effector T and B cells against'foreign'antigen, as well as in the suppression of effector activity against self antigens. The means by which T cells differentiate'foreign'from'self'antigens is based on their recognition of antigen almost exclusively in the context of self major histocompatibility complex products, unlike B cells, which recognize an­ tigen alone. It is this recognition, mediated by the T-cell receptor, that sets into motion the diverse cell-cell interactions, which control the differentiation and regulation of the immune response. Although its importance was well established, the molecular nature of the T-cell receptor remained elusive for two decades. Many hypotheses as to its structure and precise function were put forward, using immunoglobulin as a basis for conjecture, but'the Holy Grail of Immunology'remained ephemeral until three years ago. In the ensuing years, both immunologists and molecular biologists have contributed to an explosion of data unsurpassed by any previous period in the field.

This book provides the first comprehensive review of research that addresses the immunomodulation of gastrointestinal motility. Results from this new field of research are important for understanding motility disturbances and symptom-generation in a variety of clinical gastroenterological problems, including ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, enteric infections, and food allergies. The book provides overviews on current perspectives regarding the nature of inflammatory processes, inflammatory mediators, and other immune factors. It also describes a variety of experimental approaches that have been used to study the interactions between immune cells and smooth muscle or enteric nerves. The approaches include in vivo, as well as in vitro studies. Researchers involved in the general field of immunophysiology, as well as the more specific fields of gastrointestinal motility and inflammatory bowel diseases will find this book to be invaluable in their research.

The dramatic increase in our knowledge of immune processes, which has taken place over recent years, had led to new approaches to the understanding and treatment of disease. The purpose of this book is to present the physiological mechanisms of immune regulation in the light of the new information, and to indicate the effect of this knowledge on selected clinical questions.

Antigens, Lymphoid Cells, and the Immune Response deals with the nature and properties of antigens and with the functional anatomy and cell physiology of the mammalian lymphoid system which responds to antigens. The book discusses the central questions in cellular immunology; the antigens and the afferent limb of the immune response; and antibodies and the afferent limb of the immune response. The text also describes the organ distribution of antigens; the functional anatomy of the lymphoid system; and the behavior patterns of lymphoid cells. The microscopic and electron microscopic distribution of antigen in lymphoid organs; the interaction of antigens with cells of the reticuloendothelial system; and the interaction of antigen with lymphoid cells are also considered. The book further tackles the role of antigen in immunological tolerance; antibody production and tolerance dissociated; and antigen and lymphoid cells.

Natural Cell-Mediated Immunity Against Tumors aims to be the first book to provide a comprehensive discussion on natural cell-mediated immunity against tumors. This book is mostly a collection of different research contributed by leading laboratories. It also presents a better perspective of how natural mechanisms fit in with and relate to the traditional and more extensively studied components of the immune system. The book starts off with an overview of the contents of the volume – the historical development of the advances in the field of research and the status of knowledge in the subject area. Divided into four major sections, the book consists of a total of 98 chapters. The sections discuss the natural killer cells and related cells and the natural lymphokine production. This book also explains the natural macrophage and granulocyte cytotoxicity. The book will be a helpful reference for students, professionals, and researchers in biology, immunology, biochemistry, microbiology, and other related fields.

Knowledge regarding avian cellular immunity has expanded rapidly within the last few years and new information continues to accumulate. It is now a well-established fact that cell-mediated immunity plays a major role in the defense against neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases in chickens. The principle objective of Avian Cellular Immunology is to compile the latest information available on various aspects of avian cellular immunity. The book contains chapters written by leading experts in the field and covers topics including cell surface markers, T-cell immunity, natural immune functions, the role of macrophages in cellular immune functions, cellular immune suppression and tolerance, cellular immune systems in avian species other than chickens, the role of cellular immunity in neoplastic and non-neoplastic viral diseases, cell-mediated immune mechanisms in bacterial and parasitic infections, and autoimmune disorders.

Immune Recognition and Evasion: Molecular Aspects of Host-Parasite Interaction reviews recent advances in understanding the genetic basis of host-parasite interactions, with emphasis on antigenic epitopes, the genetics of parasites, the molecular mechanisms of immune recognition and evasion, and the way that cytokines and hormones act on host-parasite interactions. Organized into four parts encompassing 25 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the genomic organization of the T cell receptor genes and the contribution of non-B DNA structures to switch recombination in immunoglobulin genes. It then discusses signal transduction by class II molecules encoded by the major histocompatibility complex la and the biological consequences of this process; allelic polymorphism of HLA class II antigens and its connection to the molecular basis of autoimmunity; mimicry between HLAB27 and bacteria; and genetic control of susceptibility to helminth infection. The reader is also introduced to recognition of protein antigens by antibodies; recognition of influenza antigens by class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes; the biochemical basis of cachexia of infection; mechanisms of antigenic variation in Plasmodium; and rational design of trypanocidal drugs. Geneticists and molecular biologists will gain valuable information from this book.

The field of lymphokine research has grown in parallel to the exciting developments around the two sets of cells which defend the body. While lymphokines are the'property'of immunologists, the molecular regulators of hemopoiesis (CSFs) belong to the hematologists. This book offers the rare opportunity to examine these separate fields of expertise together.