The Immune System

Chapter 1: Elements of the Immune System and their Roles in Defense. Defenses facing invading pathogens. Principles of adaptive immunity. Chapter 2: Antibody Structure and the Generation of B-Cell Diversity. The structural basis of antibody diversity. Generation of immunoglobulin diversity in B cells before encounter with antigen. Diversification of antibodies after B cells encounter antigen. Chapter 3: Antigen Recognition by T Lymphocytes. T-cell receptor diversity. Antigen processing and presentation. The major histocompatibility complex. Chapter 4: The Development of B Lymphocytes. The development of B cells in the bone marrow. Selection and further development of the B-cell repertoire. Chapter 5: The Development of T Lymphocytes. The development of T cells in the thymus. Positive and negative selection of the T-cell repertoir. Chapter 6: T-Cell Mediated Immunity. Activation of naive T cells on encounter with antigen. The properties and functions of effector T cells. Chapter 7: Immunity Mediated by B Cells and Antibodies. Antibody production by B lymphocytes. Antibody effector functions. The antigen-antibody mediated pathway of complement activation. Chapter 8: The Body's Defenses Against Infection. Innate immunity. Adaptive immune responses to infection. Immunological memory and the secondary immune response. Chapter 9: Failures of the Body's Defenses. Evasion and subversion of the immune system by pathogens. Inherited immunodeficiency diseases. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Chapter 10: Over-reactions of the Immune System. Type I hypersensitivity reactions. Types II, III, and IV hypersensitivity reactions. Chapter 11: Disruption of Healthy Tissue by the Immune Response. Autoimmune diseases. Genetic and environmental factors which predispose to autoimmune disease. Chapter 12: Manipulation of the Immune Response. Prevention of infectious disease by vaccination. Transplantation of tissues and organs. Cancer and its interactions with the immune system.