This volume provides protocols to successfully apply cutting-edge technologies to characterize the biology of T cells at an unprecedented level of complexity. Chapters guide readers through flow cytometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorting, the behaviour of single T cells after adoptive cell transfer (ACT), single cell gene expression by multiplex PCR, lentiviral transduction approaches, protocols to derive large numbers of early-differentiated memory T cells by using dedicated cytokines cocktails, approaches to measure telomerase activity in terminally differentiated T cells, and approaches to define Treg cells at the phenotypic and functional level. The final part of the book is dedicated to the analysis of the differentiation and effector functions of innate T cells, namely the well-known / T cells, and the recently identified CD8+ mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, T-Cell Differentiation: Methods and Protocols aims to provide protocols that are fundamental to monitor the T cell compartment at the level of single cells in pathological and immunotherapy conditions.

"About 25 years ago, Mosmann & Coffman introduced the TH1 / TH2 paradigm of T helper cell differentiation which helped explain many aspects of adaptive immunity from eliminating intracellular versus extracellular pathogens to induction of different types of tissue inflammation. However, TH1 / TH2 paradigm could not adequately explain development of certain inflammatory responses which provided impetus for the discovery of a new subset of T cells called TH17 cells. After the discovery of differentiation and transcription factors for TH17 cells, it was clear that TH17 cells represent an independent subset of T cells with specific functions in eliminating certain extracellular pathogens, presumably not adequately handled by TH1 or TH2 cells. The major role of TH17 cells has been described in inducing auto-immune tissue inflammation. The discovery of TH17 cells has expanded the TH1 / TH2 paradigm, and the integration of TH17 cells with TH1 and TH2 effector T cells is beginning to explain the underlying mechanisms of tissue inflammation in a number of infections and auto-immune disease settings." - From Chapter One by Vijay K. Kuchroo, Harvard University, USA "The recently identified Interleukin 17 (IL-17) cytokine family contributes to immunity to infectious diseases and chronic inflammatory diseases. Further studies on the regulation and function of this important cytokine family may provide better understanding on the roles of the IL-17 family in immune-mediated diseases; such knowledge may lead to the development of immunotherapeutic strategies for treatment of several inflammatory diseases." - From Chapter Two by Chen Dong, University of Texas and MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA

A cutting-edge review of the major research areas of adjuvant discovery, design, development, and use. The authors lay down a rational basis for vaccine adjuvant function and analyze a number of significantly distinct adjuvant-active molecules to illuminate the principles of their function and use. The focus is on specific receptor-ligand interactions, including the molecular features needed for a compound to possess adjuvant activity. The critical interface zone between the innate and adaptive immune systems is also analyzed to show how adjuvants exert their effects on T- and B-cell activation. Additional chapters address the possibility of tailoring adjuvants to yield optimally safe and effective responses.

Experts from around the world review the current field of the immunobiology of heat shock proteins, and provide a comprehensive account of how these molecules are spearheading efforts in the understanding of various pathways of the immune system. This one-stop resource contains numerous images to both help illustrate the research on heat shock proteins, and better clarify the field for the non-expert. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) were discovered in 1962 and were quickly recognized for their role in protecting cells from stress. Twenty years later, the immunogenicity of a select few HSPs was described, and for the past 30 years, these findings have been applied to numerous branches of immunology, including tumor immunology and immunosurveillance, immunotherapy, etiology of autoimmunity, immunotherapy of infectious diseases, and expression of innate receptors. While HSPs can be used to manipulate immune responses by exogenous administration, they appear to be involved in initiation of de novo immune responses to cancer and likely in the maintenance of immune homeostasis.

T Cell Antigen and MHC Recognition; B. Boitel, et al. Structure of the TCR-Ag-MHC Complex; N. Gervois, et al. Positive and Negative Selection of T Cells; H. von Boehmer. Peripheral Tolerence; D.C. Parker. On the Antigenicity of Antibody Idiotypes; K. Hannestad. A Network of Self Interactions; M. Zanetti. Cloned Suppressor T Cells; T. Tada, et al. The Autoreactive T Cell Receptor; E. Heber-Katz. The Relationship Between Diabetes and Lymphopenia in the BB Rat; S. Joseph, et al. Immunosuppression by MHC Class II Blockade; L. Adorini. Recognition of HIV Antigens by Human T Helper Cells; F. Manca, et al. Proliferative Responses to the V3 Region of HIV Envelope Are Enhanced Following Immunization with V3; S.J. Harris, et al. Teaching Immunology; F. Celada, P.E. Seiden. Biospecific Monoclonal Antibody-Targeted Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Can Recycle; J.A.C. Voorthuis, et al. 13 additional articles. Index.

At the time of the first edition of Principles of Cancer Biotherapy in 1987, this book represented the first comprehensive textbook on biological therapy. In 1991, when the second edition was published, there was still some doubt on the part of many oncologists and cancer researchers as to the therapeutic value of these new approaches. By 2003 and the fourth edition, it was generally agreed that biopharmaceuticals were producing major opportunities for new cancer therapies. Cancer biotherapy has now truly matured into the fourth modality of cancer treatment. This fifth revised edition describes the tremendous progress that has been made in recent years using biologicals in cancer treatment.

This book summarizes an evolving science and a rapidly changing medical practice in biotherapy. In this new millennium, it is now possible to envision a much more diversified system of cancer research and treatment that will afford greater opportunities for a patient s personalized cancer treatment. This was first envisioned in the 1987 initial edition of this textbook and is now a new and popular approach to cancer treatment. Some forms of cancer biotherapy use the strategy of tumor stabilization and control through continued biological therapy, akin to the use of insulin in the treatment of diabetes.

This textbook illustrates new methods of thinking and new strategies for control of cancer. It is always difficult to move from past dogma to future opportunity, but this fifth edition of Principles of Cancer Biotherapy illustrates why it is so important to the patients for researchers and clinicians to explore and quickly apply these new opportunities in cancer biotherapy."

The volume focuses on the genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and bioinformatics of a single cell, especially lymphocytes and on understanding the molecular mechanisms of systems immunology. Based on the author's personal experience, it provides revealing insights into the potential applications, significance, workflow, comparison, future perspectives and challenges of single-cell sequencing for identifying and developing disease-specific biomarkers in order to understand the biological function, activation and dysfunction of single cells and lymphocytes and to explore their functional roles and responses to therapies. It also provides detailed information on individual subgroups of lymphocytes, including cell characters, function, surface markers, receptor function, intracellular signals and pathways, production of inflammatory mediators, nuclear receptors and factors, omics, sequencing, disease-specific biomarkers, bioinformatics, networks and dynamic networks, their role in disease and future prospects. Dr. Xiangdong Wang is a Professor of Medicine, Director of Shanghai Institute of Clinical Bioinformatics, Director of Fudan University Center for Clinical Bioinformatics, Director of the Biomedical Research Center of Zhongshan Hospital, Deputy Director of Shanghai Respiratory Research Institute, Shanghai, China.

The currently available means of combating fungal infections are weak and clumsy. The application of fungal genomics offers an unparalleled opportunity to develop novel antifungal drugs. Interestingly, several novel antifungal drug targets have already been identified and validated. However, it is premature to expect a novel antifungal agent in clinical setting as drug discovery programs are still in their infancy. In addition to classical and genomic approaches to drug discovery, treasure trove based on natural products and phytomedicine can provide a multitude of alternative modes of combating fungal infection. This book incisively addresses essential topics on various aspects pertaining to fungal diseases in human and animals, their reservoir, fungal pathogenesis, their management and recent advances in their treatment. Issues of antifungal drug toxicity, especially nephrotoxicity, are also discussed. The development of resistance in fungal pathogens, including multidrug resistance and its mechanism, is dealt with in two chapters. Diverse diagnostic approaches to fungal infections are also reviewed. The combinational drug strategies used in combating invasive fungal infections are addressed in detail. The management of pulmonary mycoses in stem cell transplantation is also given special focus. Novel antifungal drugs (synthetic and herbal), fungal vaccines, and metabolic pathways as drug targets are discussed in detail in three different chapters. Subsequently the roles of innate immunity, cytokine therapy and immunomodulators in the treatment of fungal infections are elaborated upon. As novel drug delivery systems have a great potential for modifying the pharmacokinetics of medications, the last chapter takes this fact into consideration in its examination of state-of-the-art delivery systems in controlling fungal infections.

This volume presents a collection of methods that have contributed to the current understanding of bacterial persisters. Chapters in the book detail general guidelines for measuring persister levels in bacterial cultures, strategies to enrich and resuscitate persister subpopulations, single-cell approaches for visualizing and characterizing persisters, omics techniques and cellular and animal models for studying persistence. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Bacterial Persistence: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition aims to be a useful practical guide to researchers to help further their study in this field.

"Immuno Systems Biology" aims to study the immune system in the more integrated manner on how cells and molecules participate at different system levels to the immune function. Through this bookKumar Selvarajoointroduces to physicists, chemists, computer scientists, biologists and immunologists the idea of an integrated approach to the understanding of mammalian immune system. Geared towards a researcher with limited immunological and computational analytical experience, the book provides a broad overview to the subject and some instruction in basic computational, theoretical and experimental approaches. The book links complex immunological processes with computational analysis and emphasizes the importance of immunology to themammalian system. "

This book offers an overview of our current understanding of host defense peptides and their potential for clinical applications as well as some of the obstacles to this. The chapters, written by leading experts in the field, detail the number and diversity of host defense peptides, and discuss the therapeutic potential not only of antibacterial, but also of antifungal, antiviral, plant antimicrobial and anticancer host defense peptides. The authors provide new insights into their mechanisms of action and their immunomodulatory properties, and review recent advances in the design of novel therapeutic molecules. Lastly, their potential to prevent preterm births and Staphylococcus aureus infections is highlighted. The book is of interest to researchers, industry and clinicians alike.

This two-volume work covers the molecular and cell biology, genetics and evolution of influenza viruses, the pathogenesis of infection, resultant host innate and adaptive immune response, prevention of infection through vaccination and approaches to the therapeutic control of infection.. Experts at the forefront of these areas provide critical assessments with regard to influenza virology, immunology, cell and molecular biology, and pathogenesis. Volume I provides overviews of the latest findings on molecular determinants of viral pathogenicity, virus entry and cell tropism, pandemic risk assessment, transmission and pathogenesis in animal species, viral evolution, ecology and antigenic variation, while Volume II focuses on the role of innate and adaptive immunity in pathogenesis, development of vaccines and antivirals.

This brilliant synthesis summarizes all of the recent accomplishments as well as the ongoing research in the field of composite tissue transplantation. It includes sections on hand transplantation and vascularized bone marrow transplantation. The volume focuses on immunology and the biotechnology/bioengineering aspects of transplantation surgery, as those two areas have demonstrated the most growth within the last five years in terms of current research.

Immunocytochemistry of plant cells is the first book exclusively dedicated to this topic. The first and largest portion of the book is concerned with a group of proven protocols and variations on these protocols that might prove useful, many developed or modified in the author's laboratory. The second portion of the book covers the studies that have been published previously on each of the plant organelles. Numerous state of the art micrographs from researchers around the world are included to demonstrate typical results.

Advances in Immunology presents current developments as well as comprehensive reviews in immunology. Articles address the wide range of topics that comprise immunology, including molecular and cellular activation mechanisms, phylogeny and molecular evolution, and clinical modalities. Edited and authored by the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research.
* Interactions between NK Cells and B Lymphocytes
* Multitasking of helix-loop-helix proteins in lymphopoiesis
* The pathogenesis of Diabetes in the NOD Mouse

This first thematic issue, of the Advances in Immunology series, highlights the remarkable new insights into the mechanisms that govern development and function of T cell lineages. Recent developments in the understanding of the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate development of the two major T cell lineages will have a fundamental impact on a number of research fields -immunology, cell biology, hematology and stem cell research. All of these groups have a vested interest in comprehending issues such as stem cell self renewal, progenitor plasticity, lineage commitment and cellular identity. Immunologists have a special interest in the mechanisms that allow selection of a T cell repertoire whose members integrate genetic information for T cell receptor, co-receptor and specialized immunologic function, since this process lies at the core of adaptive immunity.
T Cell Subsets is a timely and invaluable review for immunologists, cell biologists hematologists and stem cell researchers

The inducible isoforms of the enzymes cyclooxygenase (COX 2), nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) have generated great interest as possible therapeutic targets in inflammation. This book is the first publication to address the importance of all three enzymes and the consequences of their interactions to the inflammatory process. The book brings together overviews by leading researchers in the field of the current status of knowledge of COX, NOS and HO in inflammation. These overviews cover a series of new concepts in the mechanism of inflammation. Topics include inducible enzyme involvement in inflammatory processes including the role in vascular permeability, leukocycte migration, granuloma formation, angiogenesis, neuroinflammation and algesia. New findings from transgenic animal models are reviewed. Other chapters address the importance of these enzymes in inflammatory disease states including rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis and multiple sclerosis. The possibility of selective inhibitors or inducers of COX, NOS and HO, and their use in the clinic is discussed. The subject matter of this book is of interest to rheumatologists, pathologists, pharmacologists, neuroscientists and anyone with an academic interest in the mechanisms of inflammation.

This comprehensive, interdisciplinary book covers different aspects of relevant human pathogens and commensals. The ongoing development of (meta-)genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and bioinformatic analyses of pathogenic and commensal microorganisms and their host interaction provides a comprehensive introduction to the microbiological analysis of host-microbe interplay and its consequences for infection or commensalism.

Advances in Immunology presents current developments as well as comprehensive reviews in immunology. Articles address the wide range of topics that comprise immunology, including molecular and cellular activation mechanisms, phylogeny and molecular evolution, and clinical modalities. Edited and authored by the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for future research.

Echinostomes are medically- and veterinary-important parasitic flatworms that invade humans, domestic animals and wildlife and also parasitize in their larval stages numerous invertebrate and cold-blooded vertebrate hosts. The interest in echinostomes in parasitology and general biology comes from several areas: (1) Human infections; (2) Experimental models; (3) Animal infections; (4) Systematics. The application of novel techniques is moving the echinostomes to the frontline of parasitology in fields such as systematics, immunobiology in vertebrate and invertebrate organisms and proteomics among others. The Biology of Echinostomes demonstrates the application of new techniques to a group of trematodes that may serve to obtain information of great value in parasitology and general biology. The book includes basic topics, such as biology and systematics, as well as more novel topics, such as immunobiology, proteomics, and genomics of echinostomes. The authors of each chapter emphasize their content with: (i) the most novel information obtained; (ii) analysis of this information in a more general context (i.e. general parasitology); and (iii) future perspectives in view of the information presented. The subjects are analyzed from a modern point of view, considering aspects such as applications of novel techniques and an analysis of host-parasite interactions.

This volume focuses on IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD), a novel clinical entity involving multiple organs and of unknown origin, associated with the abundant infiltration of IgG4-positive cells. It consists of nine chapters written by prominent experts in the field and discusses the disease concept, diagnosis and treatment, as well as recent findings on its pathogenesis and pathophysiology. As such, it offers an invaluable source of information for researchers and clinicians alike.

This collection seeks to elucidate the practical methods necessary for successful adjuvant development, with a particular focus on the synthesis, formulation, manufacturing, and characterization aspects involved. Beginning with an overview and a case study, the book then delves into in silico design, chemical synthesis, biosynthesis, and/or purification from natural raw materials of specific adjuvant molecules, adjuvant formulation approaches, the analytical characterization of adjuvant formulations and adjuvant-containing vaccines, as well as the biological characterization of vaccine adjuvant activity, including in vitro and in vivo approaches, to measure innate and adaptive immune responses. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Practical and authoritative, Vaccine Adjuvants: Methods and Protocols aims to facilitate vaccine adjuvant product development efforts, making them more accessible, manufacturable, and better characterized.

Mechanisms of Lymphocyte Activation and Immune Regulation X: Innate Immunity is the proceedings of the Xth International Conference on Mechanisms of Lymphocyte Activation and Immune Regulation: Innate Immunity, held February 6-8, 2004 in Newport Beach, California. It is the tenth volume of its kind to appear in the series Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. Topics include toll receptors, dendritic cells, NK cells, and complement receptors.

Volume 81 of Advances in Immunology contains articles on a vast range of immunology topics including the regulation of the immune response by the interaction of chemokines and proteases as well as roles of the Semaphorin Family in immune regulation. It has a chapter devoted to B Lymphoid Neoplasms of Mice and another on the Zebrafish as a model organism to study development of the immune system. This volume will be of interest to immunologists in all industries.
* Edited by a new editor, Frederick W. Alt
* Covers molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interaction
* Discusses prions and the immune system