Understanding Immunology

Cover......Page 1
Understanding Immunology......Page 2
Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 14
Acknowledgements......Page 16
 The role and complexity of the immune system......Page 18
 Pathogens differ in size, lifestyle and how they cause disease......Page 23
 How do pathogens cause disease and what protection is there?......Page 25
 Conclusion......Page 35
 Summary......Page 36
 Further reading......Page 37
 The response to infection......Page 39
 The immediate response to infection – the innate immune system......Page 40
 Cytokines – hormones of the immune system......Page 47
 Cell migration – through blood and into tissue......Page 49
 The inflammatory response......Page 54
 Systemic inflammation – involvement of the brain and liver......Page 58
 Interferons and natural killer cells......Page 59
 Summary......Page 63
 Questions......Page 64
 Further reading......Page 65
 Introduction to the specific immune system......Page 66
 Antibody structure......Page 68
 Recognition by antibody – antigens and epitopes......Page 70
 There are different antibody classes with different biological functions......Page 77
 Antibody can be secreted or expressed on the cell surface of B lymphocytes......Page 80
 Summary......Page 83
 Further reading......Page 84
 There are different types of T lymphocytes......Page 85
 T cells recognise antigen through their T cell receptor (TCR)......Page 87
 The major histocompatibility complex......Page 88
 Recognition of antigen by T cells......Page 98
 Antigens must be processed before they can be presented by MHC molecules......Page 101
 Questions......Page 107
 Further reading......Page 108
 The production of lymphocytes: lymphopoiesis......Page 109
 B lymphocytes are produced in the bone marrow......Page 112
 T lymphocytes finish their production in the thymus......Page 113
 During their development lymphocytes must generate huge numbers of Ig and TCR receptors with different antigen specificities......Page 117
 Developing lymphocytes rearrange their Ig or TCR genes in a carefully controlled order......Page 128
 Why is there continuous production of lymphocytes, most of which die?......Page 133
 Summary......Page 135
 Further reading......Page 136
 Requirements of the immune system......Page 137
 Different pathogens require different types of immune responses......Page 138
 The anatomy of the lymphoid system promotes the interaction of cells and antigen......Page 141
 Lymphocytes continually recirculate through blood, tissues and lymphatic vessels......Page 148
 Questions......Page 150
 Further reading......Page 152
 Overview of antibody production......Page 153
 Activation of CD4 T cells (0–5 days)......Page 157
 Stimulation of B cells by antigen and interaction with Th (0–5 days after antigen)......Page 164
 Formation of germinal centres (4–14 days after antigen)......Page 166
 MALT and the production of IgA......Page 179
 Summary......Page 180
 Questions......Page 181
 Further reading......Page 182
 Humoral and cell-mediated immunity......Page 184
 Neutralisation by antibody......Page 185
 Antibodies can act as opsonins and promote phagocytosis......Page 188
 Complement is a protein cascade with antimicrobial functions......Page 193
 Antibody and complement synergise to promote the opsonisation of microbes......Page 211
 Summary......Page 212
 Questions......Page 214
 Further reading......Page 215
 Introduction......Page 216
 CD4 T cells develop into different types of helper T cells during immune responses......Page 218
 CD8 cytotoxic T cells are important in intracellular infections......Page 220
 Delayed-type hypersensitivity and the activation of macrophages......Page 225
 Th2 responses are important against worms......Page 229
 Th17 responses involve high levels of inflammation......Page 231
 Different effector responses have different costs to the host......Page 232
 Summary......Page 235
 Questions......Page 236
 Further reading......Page 237
 Immunological memory – the basis of immunity......Page 238
 Vaccines induce immunity without causing disease......Page 243
 Antibodies can be produced and used in many ways in treatments and in tests......Page 253
 Summary......Page 259
 Further reading......Page 260
 Immunological tolerance – what is it and why do we need it?......Page 262
 Self-tolerance in B cells......Page 264
 Self-tolerance in T lymphocytes – selecting for recognition of self-MHC but not self-antigen......Page 267
 How do we maintain tolerance to self-antigens not expressed in the thymus?......Page 271
 Questions......Page 274
 Further reading......Page 275
 Autoimmune diseases occur when our immune systems attack our own bodies......Page 276
 There are many different autoimmune diseases......Page 277
 Immunological features of autoimmune diseases......Page 281
 Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of autoimmune disease......Page 287
 How is immunological tolerance lost in autoimmune disease?......Page 292
 Summary......Page 297
 Further reading......Page 298
 Introduction......Page 299
 Type I hypersensitivity and allergy......Page 300
 Allergies result in a variety of clinical symptoms......Page 303
 Testing for allergy......Page 306
 Both genetics and the environment contribute to allergy......Page 307
 Treatment of allergy......Page 309
 Type II hypersensitivity......Page 312
 Type III hypersensitivity......Page 314
 Delayed hypersensitivity and contact hypersensitivity......Page 318
 Summary......Page 319
 Questions......Page 320
 Further reading......Page 321
 History and incidence of AIDS......Page 322
 The human immunodeficiency virus......Page 323
 Clinical course of HIV infection......Page 326
 Immunological events associated with HIV infection......Page 328
 Chemotherapy can prolong the life of HIV-infected people......Page 332
 HIV has proven very difficult for vaccine development......Page 334
 Summary......Page 335
 Questions......Page 336
 Further reading......Page 337
 Introduction......Page 338
 Transplantation: from kidneys to faces......Page 339
 Using the immune system against tumours......Page 346
 Summary......Page 355
 Further reading......Page 356
Answers......Page 357
Glossary......Page 368
Index......Page 377