To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the discovery of Natural Killer (NK) cells, this volume focuses on the recent advances in our understanding of NK cell development and differentiation and their acquisition of functional properties, as well as the latest models for NK-cell analysis in mice and applications in clinical medicine. NK cells have travelled a circuitous path from their initial description as 'spontaneous killers' (for some simply an experimental artifact) to being a bona fide subset of innate lymphoid cells with a complementary mode of action in immune defense and an important mediator of immune reactivity in health and disease. Together, these reviews provide a timely and concise picture of the evolution of NK cells as essential agents in immunity and as potent weapons against disease. This book offers an appealing and insightful resource for scientists and clinicians.

Unlike detecting constitutively expressed targets, immunohistochemical detection of labile, low abundance, and short-lived signal transduction molecules can be a very difficult task. In Signal Transduction Immunohistochemistry: Methods and Protocols, IHC experts contribute detailed protocols addressing the numerous challenges of signal-transduction immunohistochemistry (ST-IHC). Beginning with a set of introductory chapters, the volume moves on to cover techniques used for the preservation of antigens and their unmasking, protocols in digital imaging and image analysis of stained cells and tissues, high-throughput data collection and data analysis, and techniques used in neuroscience as well as cancer and stem cell research. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include brief 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 practical, Signal Transduction Immunohistochemistry: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for novices and as a bastion of inspiring ideas to be exploited by experienced researchers on the lookout for new experimental tricks and hints.

This book presents a detailed overview of the development of new viral vector-based vaccines before discussing two major applications: preventive vaccines for infectious diseases and therapeutic cancer vaccines. Viral vector-based vaccines hold a great potential for development into successful pharmaceutical products and several examples at the advanced pre-clinical or clinical stage are presented. Nevertheless, the most efforts were focused on novel and very innovative technologies for new generation of vector-based vaccines. Furthermore, specific topics such as delivery and adjuvant and protection strategies for cell-mediated-based vaccines are presented. Given its scope, the book is a "must read" for all those involved in vaccine development, both in academia and industrial vaccine development.

This volume provides a modern look on the age-old influenza infection and the preventive role of anti-influenza shots. Influenza pandemic outbreaks are unrelenting despite the growing understanding of the molecular basis of viral infection and its spreads. A leap in medical technologies has revolutionized the design of new influenza vaccines. The chapters cover vaccination strategies in various age-groups of people and provide the extensive amount of knowledge on the immune response to influenza vaccination in a spectrum of disease conditions.

In recent years, major developments have increased understanding of various genetic and epigenetic regulatory processes that are critical for the generation of B cell repertoires. These include the role of chromatin regulation and nuclear organization in understating the IgH gene regulation. These proceedings highlight recent developments in lymphocyte development, Ig gene rearrangements and somatic hypermutation, chromatin structure modification, B lymphocyte signaling and fate, receptor editing, and autoimmunity.

Derek T. O'Hagan and a team of expert vaccinologists and pharmacologists thoroughly describe the preparation, characterization, and evaluation of a wide range of alternative vaccine adjuvants for use in preclinical studies. Each chapter carefully reviews a single adjuvant, and suggests why a specific adjuvant might be preferred for a given antigen, depending on what type of immune response is desired. Alternate adjuvant choices are also presented so that researchers can choose those most efficacious for their specific purpose. Comprehensive and highly practical, Vaccine Adjuvants: Preparation Methods and Research Protocols provides an effective guide to making and using vaccine adjuvants. By closely following directions from the book, today's researchers will be able optimally to induce specific immune responses against different types of antigens and to selectively manipulate the immune response in a favorable way.

Victor P. Bulgakov, Yuri N. Shkryl, Galina N. Veremeichik, Tatiana Y. Gorpenchenko and Yuliya V. Vereshchagina: Recent Advances in the Understanding of Agrobacterium rhizogenes-Derived Genes and Their Effects on Stress Resistance and Plant Metabolism. Le Zhao, Guy W. Sander and Jacqueline V. Shanks: Perspectives of the Metabolic Engineering of Terpenoid Indole Alkaloids in Catharanthus roseus Hairy Roots. Jian Wen Wang and Jian Yong Wu: Effective Elicitors and Process Strategies for Enhancement of Secondary Metabolite Production in Hairy Root Cultures. Amanda R. Stiles and Chun-Zhao Liu: Hairy Root Culture: Bioreactor Design and Process Intensification. Marina Skarjinskaia, Karen Ruby, Adriana Araujo, Karina Taylor, Vengadesan Gopalasamy-Raju, Konstantin Musiychuk, Jessica A. Chichester, Gene A. Palmer, Patricia de la Rosa, Vadim Mett, Natalia Ugulava, Stephen J. Streatfield and Vidadi Yusibov: Hairy Roots as a Vaccine Production and Delivery System. Zahwa Al-Shalabi and Pauline M. Doran: Metal Uptake and Nanoparticle Synthesis in Hairy Root Cultures.

Immunotherapy began in 1774 when the Dorset farmer Benjamin Jesty inoculated his wife and two sons with the pus from the teat of a cow suffering from cow pox, using his wife's knitting needle as a vaccinating implement. It has made slow progress. Meanwhile the science of Immunology has burgeoned so much that if all immunologists read every page of the Journal of Immunology, let alone the other Immunology journals, then they would have no time left to write for it. I am pleased that some of them have found the time to write for this volume. In spite of the rapid expansion in immuno logical knowledge and the undreamt of complexity of the immune system that has been unravelled, immunologists have remained until recently erudite but therapeutically effete. Indeed anyone purporting to treat disease by immuno logical methods has been in danger of being labelled a quack or a crackpot. Happily things are changing. The nine chapters of this volume detail nine quite different approaches to manipulating the immune system for therapeutic benefit. All are experimental and they have been attended with greater or lesser degrees of success. In some cases their main effect has been to elucidate the complexity of the problem. On the other hand, there are people alive and well today as a result of these approaches who would otherwise have perished. Immunotherapy is here to stay and it can only get better."

Blood Cell Biochemistry was initially conceived as part of the Plenum series Subcellular Biochemistry, from which it has developed into a separate series. The present volume is devoted primarily to contributions on megakaryocytes and platelets and, to a lesser extent, to macrophages and eosinophils. The book does not attempt a rigorous or total coverage of the particular topics; it represents the areas of current scientific activity and interest that were selected by the editor at the commencement of this project. In general, the approach has been similar to that adopted for Volume 1 of the series (Erythroid Cells); the same approach will be followed subsequently in Volume 3 (Lymphocytes and Granulocytes). This book opens with a developmentally oriented chapter by Janine Breton-Gorius on megakaryocyte maturation and platelet release in normal conditions, which serves to set the scene ultrastructurally for much of the data that follow. The biosynthesis and process ing of platelet glycoproteins in megakaryocytes is dealt with by Alain Duperray and his colleagues, and thereby provides an in-depth biochemical survey of the megakaryocyte. The applications and strengths of crossed immunoelectrophoresis for the study of platelet membrane proteins is then covered by Simon Karpatkin, and a detailed account of the heredity disorders of platelet function is provided by Francine Rendu and Evelyne Dupuy."

Haemodynamics and Immune Defence: Discoveries in Pharmacology, Second Edition, Volume Three presents selected articles from the historic Discoveries in Pharmacology series that are enhanced with commentary from contemporary scholars who discuss the reception and importance of each chapter along with an updated bibliography on the subject and contributions from those involved in Nobel Prize winning discoveries and pioneering advancements in Pharmacology. This volume brings forth discussions on key discoveries in hemodynamics and immune defense, including chapters on penicillin by Dr. Selwyn and asthma by Dr. Brocklehurst. Academic and industry researchers in pharmacology and medicine, as well as advanced students in the area, will find this useful teaching tool and launch to new discoveries. Chapters can also be used to supplement course material in pharmacology and medical courses. It will also be of interest to those who are interested in the history of medicine.

Infections caused by fungi have recently attracted the attention of both clinicians and basic researchers given the heavy burden they represent for any health system. The mortality and morbidity rates associated to mycosis are progressively rising simply because some of these diseases are still neglected by health-care workers and due to the changing sensitivity to antifungal drugs displayed by these organisms. In this book, both researchers and clinicians working in the medical mycology field explore the most recent literature about specific mycosis; placing in one concise chapter thoroughly revisions of the current knowledge on virulence factors, recognition by immune cells, immunoevasion, epidemiology, new diagnosis trends and therapeutics. This book is recommended to researchers, physicians and students interested in medical mycology.

In response to the emergence of pathogenic bacteria that cannot be treated with current antibiotics, many researchers are revisiting the use of bacteriophages, or phages, to fight multidrug-resistant bacteria. Bacteriophage as Antibiotics: Molecular Biology and Applications provides unparalleled, comprehensive information on bacteriophages and their applications, such as phage therapy. It offers techniques, media, and methodology involved in isolating and working with therapeutic phages. Photographs, line drawings, and electron micrographs of phages are also included. With its broad approach, this book is a useful reference for microbiologists, hematologists, and infectious disease researchers.

The Fifth Ir Gene Workshop was held at the Chase-Park Plaza Hotel, St. Louis, MO, August 28-31, 1982; 240 scientists participated in the Workshop. The man uscripts compiled in this book describe the state of the art concerning Ir genes. Although the notion of Ir Genes: Past, Present, and Future has not been ad dressed specifically by each author, the reader is certain to get this flavor from the contributions. In this Preface, we have tried to summarize some of the salient ob servations and discussions from the Workshop. The mUltiple genes of the I region have been defined traditionally by serolog ical analysis of intra-H-2 recombinant mice and the pattern of immune responses to certain antigens developed by these recombinant mice. The application of sev eral new techniques, such as gene cloning and DNA sequencing, production of T and B cell hybridomas, and development of cloned T cell lines has changed this tradition and introduced a new phase into the analysis of the I region, Ia antigens, and Ir genes."

Vaccinology and Methods in Vaccine Research is a combination of cutting-edge methodologies, experimental approaches and literature reviews. The book covers all aspects of vaccine development, including basic immunology (focusing on the stimulation of adaptive immunity, which is required for vaccine efficacy), approaches to vaccine design and target validation, vaccine biomanufacturer and clinical development. Existing vaccinology resources are theoretical reference books, whereas this book provides a practical handbook for use in the research lab and classroom by those working in vaccinology and training others in the field. It is authored and edited by scientists actively engaged in vaccine research and development for day-to-day teaching/methodological advice.

Continued refinement ofwide-spread access to transgenic technology has allowed for new animal models have been developed that exhibit features of autoimmune disease have been developed that exhibit features of autoimmune disease. The second edition of "Autoimmunity: Methods and Protocols" researchers in the field detail many of the most up-to-date methods which are now commonly used to study autoimmunity. The first half the book focuses on methods and protocols used to assess immunological and biochemical pathways of diseases pathogenesis in human subjects. While the second half investigates treatment of inflammatory arthritis, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), IDDM, scleroderma, and uveitis in animal models and assessment of genetic, immunological, and biochemical parameters underlying spontaneous or exogenous antigen-induced diseases. Written in the highly successful "Methods in Molecular Biology(tm)" series format, the chapters include the kind of detailed description and implementation advice that is crucial for getting optimal results in the laboratory.

Through and intuitive, "Autoimmunity: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition" seeks to aid scientists in the autoimmunity field to extract new meaning of old models and developing new ones."

Contents:
Part 1. Introduction. M.R. Leary, R.M. Kowalski, An Introduction to Social-clinical Psychology. M.R. Leary, J.E. Maddux, Progress Toward a Viable Interface between Social and Clinical-counseling Psychology. Part 2.
Social Psychological Processes in the Development and Maintenance of Emotional and Behavioral Problems. C.A. Anderson, R.S. Miller, A.L. Riger, J.C. Dill, C. Sedikides, Behavioral and Characterological Attributional Styles as Predictors of Depression and Loneliness: Review, Refinement and Test. C. Peterson, R.S. Vaidya, Explanatory Style, Expectations, and Depressive Symptoms. R.F. Baumeister, T.F. Heatherton, Self-regulation Failure: An Overview. C. Peterson, M.E.P. Seligman, K.H. Yurko, L.R. Martin, H.S. Friedman, Catastrophizing and Untimely Death. B.M. Braginsky, D.D. Braginsky, Schizophrenic Patients in the Psychiatric Interview: An Experimental Study of Their Effectiveness at Manipulation. S. Berglas, E.E. Jones, Drug Choice as a Self-handicapping Strategy in Response to Noncontingent Success. C.S. Crandall, Social Cognition of Binge Eating. M.R. Leary, L.S. Schreindorfer, A.L. Haupt, The Role of Self-esteem in Emotional and Behavioral Problems: Why is Low Self-esteem Dysfunctional? F.D. Fincham, T.N. Bradbury, Marital Satisfaction, Depression, and Attributions: A Longitudinal Analysis. J.E. Hokanson, M.P. Rubert, R.A. Welker, G.R. Hollander, C. Hedeen, Interpersonal Concomitants and Antecedents of Depression among College Students. S. Strack, J.C. Coyne, Social Confirmation of Dysphoria: Shared and Private Reactions to Depression. G. Downey, S.I. Feldman, Implications of Rejection Sensitivity for Intimate Relationships. Part 3. Social Psychological Processes in the Perception and Diagnosis of Psychological Problems. D.L. Rosenhan, On Being Sane in Insane Places. E.J. Langer, R.P. Abelson, A Patient by Any Other Name... Clinical Group Difference in Labeling Bias. J. Copeland, M. Snyder, When Counselors Confirm: A Functional Analysis. J.E. Maddux, The Mythology of Psychopathology: A Social Cognitive View of Deviance, Difference, and Disorder. P.W. Corrigan, D.L. Penn, Lessons from Social Psychology on Discrediting Psychiatric Stigma. Part 4. Social Psychological Processes in Clinical Treatment and Psychological Change. J. Frank, American Psychotherapy in Perspective (Excerpt from Persuasion and Healing). D.R. Forsyth, S.R. Strong, The Scientific Study of Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Unificationist View. J.W. Pennebaker, J.K. Kiecolt-Glaser, R. Glaser, Disclosure of Traumas and Immune Function: Health Implications for Psychotherapy. D. Axsom, J. Cooper, Cognitive Dissonance and Psychotherapy: The Role of Effort Justification in Inducing Weight Loss. B.W. McNeill, C.D. Stoltenberg, Reconceptualizing Social Influence in Counseling: The Elaboration Likelihood Model. E.J. Langer, J. Rodin, The Effects of Choice and Enhanced Personal Responsibility for the Aged: A Field Experiment in an Institutional Setting. W.B. Swann, Jr, The Trouble with Change: Self-verification and Allegiance to the Self. Appendix. C.H. Jordan, M.P. Zanna, How to Read a Journal Article in Social Psychology.

A significant improvement in the safety of modern vaccines has been the development of subunit vaccines, as these are composed of very well-defined and highly pure components, often recombinant proteins. However, since protein-based antigens in general are weakly immunogenic by themselves, co-administration of adjuvants is required to induce potent and persistent specific immune responses. In recent years, there has been substantial progress in the discovery of new efficient adjuvants for subunit vaccines that are often classified into delivery systems and immunopotentiating compounds that constitute pathogen-associated molecular patterns, such as the toll-like receptor ligands. The combination of delivery systems and immunopotentiators has appeared to represent extraordinarily good adjuvants due to concomitant enhanced antigen delivery and potent stimulation of innate immunity. Many of these adjuvants are of a particulate nature and mimic the structure and/or composition of microbes in a reductionist fashion. Examples are liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, emulsions and virus-like particles. However, there are a substantial number of pharmaceutical challenges associated with the subunit vaccine development process due to the complex nature of the antigen-adjuvant combinations. These challenges will be presented and discussed in this book. The objective of the book is to compile the concepts essential for the understanding of the pharmaceutical science and technology associated with the delivery of subunit vaccines. The books goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of the scientific and regulatory challenges facing scientists who research and develop subunit vaccines. The scope of the book is wide. It is written in a manner that will enlighten newcomers to the field (e.g., PhD students or experienced scientist switching fields) yet provide an in-depth knowledge that would benefit a skilled worker in the field. "

Currently, individuals interested in seeking an in-depth discussion of transplantation immunology must seek individual articles published in several journals, or extrapolate information from various non-transplant immunology textbooks. The purpose of this text is to provide the reader with a single source of information for the basic science of immunobiology of organ transplantation. It is unique that it focuses on immunobiology from the basic research side, with an emphasis on the cellular and molecular levels.
The readers will be physicians, scientists, and graduate students interested and engaged in the study of immunology as it relates to allo- and xenotransplantation. This book is designed to be the reference standard for the immunobiology of transplantation.

Cardiovascular immunology is a newly emerging research area, investigating the crosstalk between the cardiovascular and the immune system. This crosstalk is evident through (1) crucial immunological capacities and functions of cardiovascular cell types, including cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, pericytes and cardiac resident macrophages, (2) the impact of aberrant immune function on the development of cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis, direct and indirect immune-mediated heart disease and vasculitis, and (3) the crucial role of the immune system in cardiac repair and regeneration. The Immunology of Cardiovascular Homeostasis and Pathology covers all these aspects of cardiovascular immunology, starting with homeostatic immunological functions of traditional cardiovascular cell types, and moving then to the role of the immune system in cardiovascular pathology and to recent research into targeting the immune system to boost cardiac healing and regeneration.

This volume focuses on apoptotic and non-apoptotic programmed cell death, including necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis, and presents recent findings in the field. It discusses the crucial role that apoptotic and non-apoptotic cell death play in various pathological conditions, such as skin diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, and virus infections. Further, it highlights the mechanisms underlying the recognition and clearance of dead cells, and the subsequent biological responses triggered by phagocytosed macrophages and factors released from dying cells. Offering insights into cell death, it is a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians developing novel strategies to treat various diseases that are closely associated with cell death.

This book, written by very well known opinion leaders in the field, covers all aspects of familial Mediterranean fever, the most common monogenic autoinflammatory disease. The opening chapters explain the genetic basis of the disease and provide insights into the pathogenesis derived from recent experimental studies. A large part of the book is then devoted to a detailed description of the typical and atypical clinical presentations, the disease course, and potential complications in both pediatric and adult patients. Guidance is provided on the measurement of disease severity and the management of patients in daily practice. The advice regarding treatment is based on the best currently available evidence and attention is also paid to important emerging treatments. The book is part of Springer's series Rare Diseases of the Immune System, which presents recently acquired knowledge on pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapy with the aim of promoting a more holistic approach to these conditions. Monogenic autoinflammatory diseases are hereditary disorders that are caused by single-gene defects in innate immune regulatory pathways and are characterized by a clinical and biological inflammatory syndrome in which there is limited, if any, evidence of autoimmunity. Familial Mediterranean fever itself is due to a mutation in the MEFV gene, which codes for the protein pyrin; it is characterized by periodic fever and episodes of painful inflammation in the abdomen, chest, and joints. Familial Mediterranean Fever will be an invaluable source of up-to-date information for all practitioners involved in the care of patients with the disease.

In Eosinophil: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field of eosinophil biology comprehensively provide detailed methodological insight into the study of this fascinating cell. This book is aimed at a diverse range of basic and clinical scientists who wish to work with eosinophils or who require an update of their knowledge or to gain the information required to study a function of the eosinophil different to their current area of enquiry. 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 key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Eosinophil: Methods and Protocols seeks to aid scientist in the discovery of new hypotheses and for further examination of this intriguing cell.

As individuals age, their ability to respond to andclear pathogens and to control unwanted immune reactions declines, leading to a greater incidence of certain infectious diseases, autoimmunity and general immune dysfunctions. Most remarkably, the efficacy of vaccines is frequently decreased in elderly persons. Therefore, age-associated dysfunctions of the humoral and cellular immune responses have a strong clinical impact. Improving our understanding of the aged immune system is crucial in developing effective prevention and treatment programs that will facilitate healthy aging and improve the quality of life of the elderly population.

The aim of this volume is to summarize current knowledge on the cellular and molecular aspects of the aging immune system, with an emphasis on infectious diseases and new therapeutic approaches.

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Antigen processing is a biological process that prepares antigens for the presentation to special cells in the immune system called T lymphocytes. In Antigen Processing: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field provide a comprehensive set of protocols for studying presentation of antigens produced in the standard processing pathways for MHC class I and class II molecules. The chapters follow chronology of intracellular processing events, ending with recognition of peptide-MHC complexes at the cell surface by T lymphocytes. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Antigen Processing: Methods and Protocols is designed for beginners and experts interested in studying antigen processing.