Principles and Practice of Immunotoxicology

Among the subjects covered are: cellular constituents of the immune system; the influence of nutrition; psychoneurological factors; the toxic consequences of chemical interactions with the immune system; and autoimmune responses following exposure to environmental or occupational agents.

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Immunotoxicology is a relatively new area of scientific and medical research that looks at the human immune system as a target for the toxic effects of drug and non-drug chemicals. This book is a benchmark text in this emerging speciality which comprises nineteen comprehensively referenced chapters authored by internationally recognised experts in this area. It is the first book devoted to this subject, and is divided into four major sections. The first two sections describe the basic science underpinning the discipline with chapters on the cells of the immune system, their pharmacological responses and mechanisms of self-regulation. External factors such as nutritional and psychological effects on the immune system are also discussed. Section three examines immunological and allergic effects in humans following exposure to toxic chemicals and is of particular importance to hospital accident and emergency units. Occupational pathology due to contact with materials such as asbestos and silicon is also discussed. The final section considers methodological approaches to the assessment of immunotoxic events in experimental conditions.
Important areas such as hypersensitivity, histopathology as well as molecular biological and cell culture approaches are fully explained and provide an up-to-date guide to laboratory investigation of immunotoxicological processes.