Immunology at a Glance (eBook)

Professor John H L Playfair, MB BChir PhD DSc, Emeritus Professor of Immunology, University College London, UK. Professor Benjamin M Chain BA, PhD, FRCPath, Professor of Immunology and Head of Department at the Windeyer Institute of Medical Sciences, University College London, UK.

Preface 6

Acknowledgements 6

Note on the tenth edition 6

How to use this book 7

Further reading 7

List of abbreviations 8

Immunity

1 The scope of immunology 10

2 Innate and adaptive immune mechanisms 12

3 Recognition and receptors: the keys to immunity 14

4 Cells involved in immunity: the haemopoietic system 16

Innate immunity

5 Receptors of the innate immune system 18

6 Complement 20

7 Acute inflammation 22

8 Phagocytic cells and the reticuloendothelial system 24

9 Phagocytosis 26

Adaptive immunity

(i) The molecular basis

10 Evolution of recognition molecules: the immunoglobulin superfamily 28

11 The major histocompatibility complex 30

12 The T-cell receptor 32

13 Antibody diversification and synthesis 34

14 Antibody structure and function 36

(ii) The cellular basis

15 Lymphocytes 38

16 Primary lymphoid organs and lymphopoiesis 40

17 Secondary lymphoid organs and lymphocyte traffic 42

(iii) The adaptive immune response

18 Antigen processing and presentation 44

19 The antibody response 46

20 Antigen - antibody interaction and immune complexes 48

21 Cell-mediated immune responses 50

(iv) Regulation

22 Tolerance 52

23 Cell communication and cytokines 54

24 The cytokine network 56

25 Immunity, hormones and the brain 58

Potentially useful immunity

26 Antimicrobial immunity: a general scheme 60

27 Immunity to viruses 62

28 HIV and AIDS 64

29 Immunity to bacteria 66

30 Immunity to fungi and ectoparasites 68

31 Immunity to protozoa 70

32 Immunity to worms 72

Undesirable effects of immunity

33 Immunodeficiency 74

34 Harmful immunity: a general scheme 76

35 Allergy and anaphylaxis 78

36 Immune complexes, complement and disease 80

37 Chronic and cell-mediated inflammation 82

38 Autoimmune disease 84

Altered immunity

39 Transplant rejection 86

40 Immunosuppression 88

41 Immunostimulation and vaccination 90

Immunity in health and disease

42 Cancer immunology 92

43 Immunity and clinical medicine 94

44 Investigating immunity 96

45 Immunology in the laboratory 98

46 Out of the past: evolution of immune mechanisms 100

47 Into the future: immunology in the age of genomics 102

Self-assessment

Self-assessment questions 105

Answers 107

Appendices

Appendix I Comparative sizes and molecular weights 109

Appendix II Landmarks in the history of immunology and some unsolved problems 111

Appendix III CD classification 113

Index 115

"This book provides a user-friendly overview of the
body's defence mechanisms. Ideal for a medical,
biomedical or life science course, the text contains a basic
overview of both adaptive and innate immunity, applied
immunological concepts, and how each body system can be affected by
immunity." (European Journal of Immunology, 1
December 2012)