Immunology Overview
- PMID: 21413267
- Bookshelf ID: NBK7795
Immunology Overview
Excerpt
The immune system consists of factors that provide innate and acquired immunity, and has evolved to become more specific, complex, efficient, and regulated. One of the principal functions of the human immune system is to defend against infecting and other foreign agents by distinguishing self from non-self (foreign antigens) and to marshal other protective responses from leukocytes. The immune system, if dysregulated, can react to self antigens to cause autoimmune diseases or fail to defend against infections.
Copyright © 1996, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
Sections
- General Concepts
- Evolution of the Immune System
- Organization/Components/Functions
- Molecular Communications in the Immune System
- Cells of the Immune System
- Immunoglobulin Supergene Family
- Recognition of Self and Immune Tolerance
- The Complement System
- Defense against Infections
- Diseases Due to Immune Responses to Infectious Agents
- Ontogeny of Immunity
- Maternal Immunologic Agents Transferred to the Recipient Infant
- Immune Deficiencies
- References
References
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- Adderson EE, Johnston JM, Shackerford PG, Carroll WL. Development of the human antibody repertoire. Pediatr Res. 1992;32:257. - PubMed
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- Bjorkman PJ, Parham P. Structure, function and diversity of class I major histocompatibility complex molecules. Annu Rev Biochem. 1990;59:253. - PubMed
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- Curnutte JT. Chronic granulomatous disease: the solving of a clinical riddle at the molecular level. Clin Immun Immunopathol. 1993;67(3):82. - PubMed
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- Goldman AS. The immune system of human milk. Antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulating properties. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1993;12:664. - PubMed
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- Hunkapiller T, Hood L. Diversity of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily. Adv Immunol. 1990;44:1. - PubMed
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