This study looks at the way the products of arachidonic acid metabolism are active both in normal and abnormal immune responses. While some of the fundamental issues such as whether lymphocytes are capable of producing prostaglandins and leukotrienes are still hotly debated, the evidence is overwhelming that many specific immunological problems and disease states are associated with alterations in the normal balance of arachidonic acid metabolism. This book provides a review of the history and chemistry of the arachidonic acid cascade as well as an exhaustive survey of the literature concerning the interaction of arachidonic acid metabolites with cells of the immune system. The author also presents and discusses the evidence demonstrating prostaglandin and leukotriene participation in response to injury and in malignancy, tissue and organ rejection, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmunity and allergy.

Over the past fifty years cells and mediators involved in our immune defences have been painstakingly identified. However, it is only relatively recently that the ability of microorganisms to evade immunity has been recognized and investigated. This volume introduces the mechanisms used by bacteria to evade both humoral and cellular immune responses, using systems ranging in complexity from the simple quorum sensing molecules (acyl homoserine lactones) to the supramolecular syringe-like devices of type III secretion systems.

William Clark's At War Within takes us on a fascinating tour through the immune system, examining the history of its discovery, the ways in which it protects us, and how it may bring its full force to bear at the wrong time or in the wrong place.

Scientists have only gradually come to realize that this elegant defence system not only has the potential to help, as in the case of smallpox, but also the potential to do profound harm in health problems ranging from allergies to AIDS, and from organ transplants to cancer. Dr Clark discusses the myriad of medical problems involving the immune system, and systematically explains each one, making the complexities of this delicately balanced mechanism comprehensible to the lay reader.

Intended for specialists in B cell immunology, this is an investigation of such topics as the movement of a monoclonal antibody from the laboratory into the clinic, the field of Fc receptors, the impact of monoclonal antibodies on the diagnosis and treatment of human cancer, and detailed analyses of specific antibody systems: mouse lambda and human kappa. Antibodies have always been vital to any major progress within immunology. From diagnostic tools to vehicles for modern therapy against cancer, infections, and autoimmune diseases, antibodies serve many purposes, yet our knowledge of them, their properties and structural characteristics is incomplete. "The Antibodies" series seeks to provide the scientific community with a platform for a comprehensive review of topics of contemporary interest for specialists in this area.

Parasites and infectious diseases are everywhere and represent some of the most potent forces shaping the natural world. They affect almost every aspect imaginable in the life of their hosts, even as far as the structure of entire ecosystems. Hosts, in turn, have evolved complex defences, with immune systems being among the most sophisticated processes known in nature. In response, parasites have again found ways to manipulate and exploit their hosts. Ever since life began, hosts and parasites have taken part in this relentless co-evolutionary struggle with far-reaching consequences for us all. Today, concepts borrowed from evolution, ecology, parasitology, and immunology have formed a new synthesis for the study of host-parasite interactions. Evolutionary parasitology builds on these established fields of scientific enquiry but also includes some of the most successful inter-disciplinary areas of modern biology such as evolutionary epidemiology and ecological immunology. The first edition of this innovative text quickly became the standard reference text for this new discipline. Since then, the field has progressed rapidly and an update is now required. This new edition has been thoroughly revised to provide a state-of-the-art overview, from the molecular bases to adaptive strategies and their ecological and evolutionary consequences. It includes completely new material on topics such as microbiota, evolutionary genomics, phylodynamics, within-host evolution, epidemiology, disease spaces, and emergent diseases. Evolutionary Parasitology is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate level students, and interdisciplinary researchers from a variety of fields including immunology, genetics, sexual selection, population ecology, behavioural ecology, epidemiology, and evolutionary biology. Those studying and working in adjacent fields such as conservation biology, virology, medicine, and public health will also find it an invaluable resource for connecting to the bases of their science.

The 11th Hour Series of revision guides are designed for quick reference.

The organization of these books actively involves studetns in the learning process and reinforces concepts. At the end of each chapter there is a test including multiple choice questions, true/false questions and short answer questions, and every answer involves an explanation. Each book contains icons in the text indicating additional support on a dedicated web page.

Students having difficulties with their courses will find this an excellent way to raise their grades.
Clinical correlations or everyday applications include examples from the real world to help students understand key concepts more readily.
Dedicated web page, there 24 hours a day, will give extra help, tips, warnings of trouble spots, extra visuals and more.
A quick check on what background students will need to apply helps equip them to conquer a topic.
The most important information is highlighted and explained, showing the big picture and eliminating the guesswork.
After every topic and every chapter, lots of opportunity for drill is provided in every format, multiple choice, true/false, short answer, essay.
An easy trouble spot identifier demonstrates which areas need to be reinforced and where to find information on them.
Practice midterms and finals prep them for the real thing.

Immunoassay procedures (isotopic and non-isotopic) have become one of the single most important techniques in present-day diagnostic medicine. This book is designed as an introductory test for the staff of clinical research laboratories who conduct or intend to conduct such techniques, and will be of great value to the clinicians who make use of such services. The volume takes a three-pronged approach in it's in-depth presentation: explanation of the basic principles and applications of radioimmunoassays and non-isotopic immunoassays; practical illustrations of the various steps involved in immunoassays; discussion of the problems and pitfalls in immunoassays and how to avoid them. This fifth revised edition is a worthy successor to it's predecessors in this famous "Laboratory Techniques" series.

Evaluates risks to human health and the environment posed by the production and use of tri-n-butyl phosphate. Tri-n-butyl phosphate is widely used worldwide as a solvent for cellulose esters, lacquers, and natural gums, as a primary plasticizer in the manufacture of plastics and vinyl resins, in the formulation of fire-resistant aircraft hydraulic fluids, and as an antifoaming agent, mainly in paper manufacturing plants.

'A big-picture forecast of how medicine stands on the threshold of a revolution that will radically change all of our lives' The Times Welcome to a revolution in the science of you! This landmark new book from award-winning scientist Daniel M. Davis explores the future of the human body. Imagine taking drugs to help you acquire new skills, or knowing years in advance the precise likelihood of developing specific cancers, or following a diet and health regime tailored to your microbiome, or even having continuous monitoring of your body's workings and well-being. Written by an award-winning scientist, this landmark book shows how these radical and disconcerting possibilities have been made real. It is at once a gripping drama of scientific ingenuity, discovery and collaboration, and a vision of the human body of dizzying complexity and wonder. 'The startling new discoveries...are radically altering our understanding of how we function and what our future holds' BRIAN COX 'Thrilling' BILL BRYSON 'Brilliant' TIM SPECTOR 'Extraordinary' ALICE ROBERTS

Explains how the body defends itself against disease, including the roles of bacteria, viruses, and other germs, and the cells that work to protect the body against them.

Since the identification of the first cases of the coronavirus in December 2019, there has been a significant amount of confusion regarding the origin and spread of the so-called 'coronavirus', SARS-CoV-2, and the cause of the disease COVID-19. Conflicting messages from the media and officials across different countries and organizations, the abundance of disparate sources of information, unfounded conspiracy theories on the origins of the virus, unproven therapies, and inconsistent public health measures, have all served to increase anxiety in the population. Where did the virus come from? How is it transmitted? How does it cause disease? Is it like flu? What is a pandemic? In this concise and accessible introduction, a leading expert provides answers to these commonly asked questions. This revised and updated edition now also covers how the virus mutates, how important these mutations are, how vaccines work, and what we can expect in the near and long-term future.

A step-by-step guide to commonly used procedures, Methods in Cellular Immunology addresses both human and murine models, in addition to such topics as PCR and apoptosis. The basic format of the original version has been maintained, and the goal remains the same: to make it a useful and easy-to-use tool for investigators employing cellular immunological techniques in their research, regardless of whether or not immunology is their main area of expertise. It provides information about manufacturers and commercial sources of chemicals and reagents and a comprehensive list of references, allowing readers to refer back to the original information and/or techniques.

The field of peptide based cancer vaccines has evolved tremendously in the last decade of this century. The exploration on how to apply the peptide knowledge for vaccination purposes began when it was demonstrated that these peptides after being mixed into adjuvants actually induced T cell responses that could prevent virus infections and tumor growth in experimental animal models. The results of animal models are currently translated into clinical applications with all their associated difficulties and heterogeneity. Initial promising data do appear, warranting further research in this area. This book pays tribute to key researchers in the field.

A brief treatment of immunobiology for second year undergraduates with little previous knowledge of the topic. The author illustrates molecular, biochemical and cellular phenomena with reference to all areas of zoology, including invertebrates, to draw out common themes and principles.

Now for the first time, one comprehensive book summarizes and analyzes the numerous scientific papers and reviews covering selected aspects of the structure, biological activities, and clinical effects of immune interferon, also known as interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma). Immune Interferon: Properties and Clinical Applications is essential reading for anyone working with interferons.

Having developed their own brand of interferon-gamma, the authors have become well known for their research and significant contributions in the fields of molecular biology, biochemistry, and interferon-gamma. They bring together the extensive findings from years of research since the discovery of the drug. Focusing on the drug itself and not particular brands, the book presents data on the properties of interferon-gamma, experimental data on its effects in cell cultures in vitro and on animals in vivo, the role that IFN-gamma plays in different diseases, and the results of its clinical applications.

As interest in this versatile drug continues to grow, new avenues for its clinical use will continue to arise. Within a single source, Immune Interferon: Properties and Clinical Applications provides you with thorough information on all facets of interferon-gamma, from biological properties, to pharmaceutical processing, to clinical application.

In recent decades immunology has been one of the most exciting--and successful--fields of biomedical research. Over the past thirty years immunologists have acquired a detailed understanding of the immune system's unique recognition mechanism and of the cellular and chemical means used to destroy or neutralize invading organisms. This understanding has been formulated in terms of the clonal selection theory, the dominant explanation of immune behavior. That story is the subject of "The Generation of Diversity,"

A major problem for immunologists had long been to determine how cells of the immune system could produce millions of distinct antibodies--and produce them on demand. The clonal selection theory explains that cells with genetic instructions to produce each antibody exist in the body in small numbers until exposure to the right molecule--the antigen--triggers the selective cloning that will reproduce exactly the cell needed. But how can so many different antibody-producing cells be generated from such limited genetic material? The solution to this question came from new applications of molecular biology, and, as the authors argue, the impact of the new techniques changed both the methods and the concepts of immunology.

"The Generation of Diversity" is an intellectual history of the major theoretical problem in immunology and its resolution in the post-World War II period. It will provide for immunologists essential background for understanding the conceptual conflicts occurring in the field today.

Monoclonal antibodies have had their impact on biomedical research for more than a decade. Beside their exuberant use as reagents, quite a number of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches have been followed and an impressive number of technological improvements, e.g., humanization, recombinant miniantibodies, have been elaborated to strengthen the principle. With respect to clinical applications, the first generation of antibody 'drugs' is yielding promising results while second and third generation antibody constructs are already underway. The book reviews the status of technological development and brings this into the perspective of clinical results. A rapidly growing amount of clinical data is collected in an expanding number of indications. Hence, the review of clinical study results has been grouped according to the fields of oncology and of chronic and acute inflammation. This book will be of interest to scientists working in the fields of oncology, immunology, internal medicine and clinical chemistry.

This book presents a wide variety of immuno-gold techniques for use in virus diagnosis and research. Protocols are presented for state-of-the-art techniques, including in situ hybridization, freeze substitution, and the utilization of ultra-small probes and replicas for use by virologists and electron microscopists identifying and studying viruses, their components, and replication in cells. The procedures are described by eminent scientists and are pertinent to both experienced researchers and newcomers to this field who are interested in the localization of low antigenic mass structures.

First published in 1988. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

In this new book Edwin Cooper surveys the field of comparative immunology; a field that has undergone great growth over the last twenty years. After an introduction to the immune response and its phylogeny, phagocytosis and primordial cell-mediated immunity are discussed, followed by a number of chapters that cover transplantation immunity. Humoral immunity is then discussed with chapters on invertebrates, antibody synthesis, and immunoglobulins. The book finishes with accounts of immunomodulation and diseases of the immune system. This book will be an invaluable guide and reference to immunologists and zoologists who are interested in the comparative aspects of the immune system.

A comprehensive guide to general strategies and specific methods for testing the immunotoxicity of chemicals in animal models and humans. Addressed to those seeking a basic introduction to the field as well as specialist researchers the book takes its focus from growing concern in scientific and public communities about the capacity of environmental agents to disrupt normal immune functions and thus increase susceptibility to tumours and infectious diseases. Compounds known to adversely affect the immune system are numerous and include drugs pesticides solvents halogenated and aromatic hydrocarbons and metals. The book draws on considerable recent progress in understanding the immunological consequences of chemical insults as well as increasingly sophisticated methodologies for assessing such effects. Close to 1000 references are included in this authoritative guide. The book opens with a detailed basic introduction to immunotoxicology. An extensive explanation of the function histophysiology and pathophysiology of the immune system emphasizes features that can aid the understanding and interpretation of the pathological changes caused by immunotoxic insults. Chapter two on the health impact of selected immunotoxic agents gives illustrative examples for some 30 chemicals that have been shown to exert immunotoxic effects in laboratory animals and for an additional seven groups of chemicals known to disturb immune functions in humans. For each brief discussions illustrate the chemical's distinct immunosuppressive properties and the mechanisms by which it exerts its toxic effects on the immune system. Chapter three provides detailed descriptions of a number of tests used in a tiered approach to the assessment of immunotoxicity. Against this background specific nonfunctional and functional tests for the assessment of immunotoxicology in experimental animals are presented and explained in full detail. Information on individual tests includes an explanation of why the test is important the types of data it can yield and exactly how it should be performed. Also included are sections offering advice on assessments in non-rodent species "in vitro "approaches and approaches using biomarkers in epidemiological studies and monitoring. The chapter concludes with a discussion of good laboratory practices for immunotoxicology studies and procedures for the validation of tests. Chapter five explains the much more complicated procedures needed to assess immunotoxicity in humans. An explanation of general questions to be considered when designing epidemiological studies is followed by presentation of three recommended testing schemes proposed by WHO and other agencies for preliminary evaluation of individuals exposed to immunotoxicants. Specific assays for assessing immune status are also described. The final chapter outlines a step-by-step process of risk assessment specific to the evaluation of potentially immunotoxic chemicals.