Janeway's Immunobiology


Book Description

The Janeway's Immunobiology CD-ROM, Immunobiology Interactive, is included with each book, and can be purchased separately. It contains animations and videos with voiceover narration, as well as the figures from the text for presentation purposes.




Signaling Mechanisms Regulating T Cell Diversity and Function


Book Description

T cells play a vital role mediating adaptive immunity, a specific acquired resistance to an infectious agent produced by the introduction of an antigen. There are a variety of T cell types with different functions. They are called T cells, because they are derived from the thymus gland. This volume discusses how T cells are regulated through the operation of signaling mechanisms. Topics covered include positive and negative selection, early events in T cell receptor engagement, and various T cell subsets.




Mechanisms of Lymphocyte Activation and Immune Regulation III


Book Description

Recent advances in the understanding of the major events that shape the immune recog nition system have been remarkable. The analysis of immunoglobulin (Ig) gene organization and Ig repertoire diversification in lower vertebrates has provided new insight into this process in mammals. Similarly, the understanding of the early development of lymphocytes and of the acquisition of immunological tolerance has been aided by elegant studies in quail/chicken chimeras, using the power of the distinctive markers of the constitutive cells of these birds. Great strides have been made in understanding the role played by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules in antigen presentation and in repertoire selec tion within the thymus. The use of transgenic mice expressing specific T-cell receptor (TCR) genes has elucidated the process of both positive and negative selection. In parallel, there has been considerable progress in our understanding of tolerance, based in part on the use of markers for the V fJ genes of T-cell receptors and in part on the analysis of the behavior of long term T-cell lines. This has led to the realization that both clonal deletion and clonal anergy may play critical roles in the maintenance of unresponsiveness to self antigen. Molecular analysis of the requirements for expression of membrane immunoglobulin molecules has revealed the existence of a complex that appears to be of critical importance in mediating signalling through Ig receptors. In addition, major insights have been obtained into the regulation of expression of genes of immunologic interest.




Mechanisms of Lymphocyte Activation and Immune Regulation VIII


Book Description

Advances in biochemistry, cell biology, genome-wide mutagenesis - coupled with molecular technology, including gene microarray and transgenic and knock-out animals - have been instrumental in understanding the cellular processes and molecular pathways of self-tolerance and autoimmune diseases. The molecular definition of these pathways and processes has led to novel treatments for certain auto-immune diseases that are based on the pathogenesis of diseases rather than on broad-spectrum immunosuppression. This book reviews many of these current developments and proposes future novel approaches for understanding the pathogenesis of auto-immune diseases and designing novel therapy. This book covers three major areas of auto-immunity: the basic mechanisms of immunological tolerance, pathogenesis of auto-immune diseases, and some novel therapies. This book should be useful for immunologists, molecular biologists, rheumatologists, and clinical scientists.




Co-signal Molecules in T Cell Activation


Book Description

This book equips young immunologists and health professionals with a clear understanding of the fundamental concepts and roles of co-signal molecules and in addition presents the latest information on co-stimulation. The first part of the book is devoted to co-signal molecules and the regulation of T cells. Following an initial overview, subsequent chapters examine each co-signal molecule in turn and discuss the mechanisms by which co-signal molecules regulate the different types of T cell. The second part covers various clinical applications, including in autoimmune disease, neurological disorders, transplantation, graft-versus-host disease, and cancer immunotherapy. To date, co-stimulation blockade and co-inhibition blockade have shown beneficial effects and many additional clinical trials targeting co-signal molecules are ongoing. The mechanisms underlying these successful treatments are explained and the future therapeutic potential in the aforementioned diseases is evaluated. Co-signal Molecules in T Cell Activation will be a valuable reference guide to co-stimulation for basic and clinical researchers in the fields of both immunology and pharmaceutical science.




Mechanisms of Lymphocyte Activation and Immune Regulation VI


Book Description

Since programmed cell death was first described in insects in 1964 and apoptosis was described in 1972, rapid progress has been made in understanding the basic mechanisms and genes regulating programmed cell death and apoptosis. In addition, defects in various genes regulating programmed cell death have been delineated in several experimental models of human diseases. This volume surveys various aspects of these rapidly developing areas of research in programmed cell death/apoptosis. This volume should be of interest to basic immunologists and molecular biologists. The volume begins with a historical perspective of cell death. The remainder of the volume is divided into four different parts. Part I deals with the signaling pathways in apoptosis, including cell cycle control of apoptosis, role of ceramide in apoptosis, role of antibody signaling, and biochemical regulation of apoptosis. The mechanisms for recognition of apoptotic lymphocytes by macrophages are also reviewed. Part II examines the role of various genes that regulate apoptosis, including the role ofFas, FasL, and other TNF family members in apoptosis and homeostatic regulation of immune response. Recently described splice variants and their influence on apoptosis are also reviewed, and the role of the members of the Bcl-2 family in apoptosis is discussed in detail. Part III reviews various aspects of apoptosis in B lymphocytes, including mechanisms that regulate apoptosis/survival of B lymphocytes and the regulation of Fas-mediated apoptosis in B lymphocytes.




Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis


Book Description

Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis provides extensive information regarding Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis (PM/DM), which is described as a heterogeneous disease complex. This book is divided into four sections: Part I (Clinical Features) covers the classification of PM/DM, details of the clinical presentation, and the disease's association with the other connective tissue disorders and malignancies. Part II (Etiology and Mechanisms) covers advances in the immunopathology and viral etiology of PM/DM along with a frequently recognized entity: inclusion body myositis. Part III (Diagnosis and Treatment) covers the histologic, muscle enzyme histochemical, electron microscopic, and resin histology features of PM/DM along with those electromyographic features that could help make a more accurate diagnosis. Part IV (Overview) summarizes the issues that may not have been clear and highlights differing and unsettled views or present available data. This text is directed to clinicians in private practice or in academic institutions concerned with PM/DM patients, including neurologists, rheumatologists, pediatricians, dermatologists, physiatrists, and neuromuscular investigators. This book is intended as well for neuromuscular pathologists who interpret muscle biopsy specimens and electromyographers who perform EMG studies to help determine the clinical diagnosis. Researchers in immunology and immunopathology of neuromuscular diseases will find discussions in this book invaluable.




Mechanisms of Lymphocyte Activation and Immune Regulation


Book Description

During the past 5 years rapid progress has been made in the understanding of biochemical pathways for signal transduction in lymphocyte activation. Gene cloning technology has been instrumental in defining and making available in pure form of a number of growth and differentiation factors, in the characterization of their receptors, and in the delineation of genes for the T cell receptor. This book is divided into 6 sections. Section 1 deals with the molecular structure of the T cell receptor. Section 2 discusses the role of the T cell receptor, membrane ion channels and biochemical pathways of signal transduction in T cell activation. The molecular structures and biological and immunological effects of interleukin 1, interleukin 2 and interleukin 3 are presented in Section 3. This section also details the structure of interleukin 2 receptor and its use as a target for therapy for certain leukemias. Section 4 includes the biochemical events which occur following the delivery of the signal for B cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation by antigen, growth/differentiation factors. The molecular structure of B cell stimulating factors is also discussed. The role of oncogene expression in cellular activation and differentiation is included in Section 5. The cellular and molecular basis of natural killing and the molecular basis of cyc1osporin A-mediated immunosuppression are discussed in detail in Section 6. We hope this book will serve as a reference work on basic mechanisms of lymphocyte activation, proliferation, and differentiation for immunologists and molecular biologists.




Mechanisms of Lymphocyte Activation and Immune Regulation II


Book Description

The ac ti vati on of Iymphocytes by physiologie ligands has become a central area of study for immunologists. Furthermore, Iymphocytes offer many advantages for the study of general aspects of receptor-mediated cellular activation. For these reasons, research on the cellular and molecular aspects of the activation of Iymphocytes by antigens, antigen analogues, Iymphokines and other growth factors has expanded enormously in the last several years. Aseries of conferences, "The International Conferences on Lymphocyte Activation", has been initiated to meet the growing need for a forum for the discussion of the topics that are included within the area of Iymphocyte activation. This volume represents the proceedings of the Second International Conference on Lymphocyte Activation and Immune Regulation, held on February 18-20, 1988 at Newport Beach, California. The proceedings comprise four major sections. The first deals with the T cell receptors and T cell activation. It includes a model for the T cell receptor interaction with a complex of MHC plus antigen, structure of y c'i T cell receptor and their distinct isotypic forms, the role of zeta chain in the expression and structure of T cell receptors and its role in transmembrane signalling. The use of somatic cell mutants in the study of signal transduction function of the T cell antigen receptors and the early and late steps of signal transduction via a / ß T cell antigen receptors are discussed.