The innate immune system represents a critical arm of the immune response by providing immediate and robust host defense; however, human studies of its function are often limited by ethical, logistical, and technical obstacles. In Mouse Models of Innate Immunity: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field explore the design and execution of experiments used to thoroughly evaluate critical elements associated with the host innate immune response. The volume opens with methods that are essential for collecting and assessing various primary cells that are highly relevant to innate immunity, and it continues with in vivo protocols commonly used to evaluate the innate immune response in the mouse, including mouse models of respiratory infection, gastrointestinal inflammation, fungal and parasitic diseases, sepsis, and HIV-1 infection. 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 easy to use, Mouse Models of Innate Immunity: Methods and Protocols will serve the research community by providing expert advice and protocols that allow both experienced and novice investigators to successfully plan, implement, and assess disease processes associated with the innate immune response.

The Janeway's Immunobiology CD-ROM, Immunobiology Interactive, is included with each book, and can be purchased separately. It contains animations and videos with voiceover narration, as well as the figures from the text for presentation purposes.

Humans coexist with millions of harmless microorganisms, but emerging diseases, resistance to antibiotics, and the threat of bioterrorism are forcing scientists to look for new ways to confront the microbes that do pose a danger. This report identifies innovative approaches to the development of antimicrobial drugs and vaccines based on a greater understanding of how the human immune system interacts with both good and bad microbes. The report concludes that the development of a single superdrug to fight all infectious agents is unrealistic.

Viral Pathogenesis: From Basics to Systems Biology, Third Edition, has been thoroughly updated to cover topical advances in the evolving field of viral pathogenesis, while also providing the requisite classic foundational information for which it is recognized. The book provides key coverage of the newfound ability to profile molecular events on a system-wide scale, which has led to a deeper understanding of virus-host interactions, host signaling and molecular-interaction networks, and the role of host genetics in determining disease outcome. In addition, the content has been augmented with short chapters on seminal breakthroughs and profiles of their progenitors, as well as short commentaries on important or controversial issues in the field. Thus, the reader will be given a view of virology research with perspectives on issues such as biomedical ethics, public health policy, and human health. In summary, the third edition will give the student a sense of the exciting new perspectives on viral pathogenesis that have been provided by recent developments in genomics, computation, modeling, and systems biology. - Covers all aspects of viral infection, including viral entry, replication, and release, as well as innate and adaptive immunity and viral pathogenesis - Provides a fresh perspective on the approaches used to understand how viruses cause disease - Features molecular profiling techniques, whole genome sequencing, and innovative computational methods - Highlights the use of contemporary approaches and the insights they provide to the field

Mice have long been recognized as a valuable tool for investigating the genetic and physiological bases of human diseases such as diabetes, infectious disease, cancer, heart disease, and a wide array of neurological disorders. With the advent of transgenic and other genetic engineering technologies, the versatility and usefulness of the mouse as a

Overall recent research on TLRs has led to tremendous increase in our understanding of early steps in pathogen recognition and will presumably lead to potent TLR targeting therapeutics in the future. This book reviews and highlights our recent understanding on the function and ligands of TLRs as well as their role in autoimmunity, dendritic cell activation and target structures for therapeutic intervention.

Antibody Fc is the first single text to synthesize the literature on the mechanisms underlying the dramatic variability of antibodies to influence the immune response. The book demonstrates the importance of the Fc domain, including protective mechanisms, effector cell types, genetic data, and variability in Fc domain function. This volume is a critical single-source reference for researchers in vaccine discovery, immunologists, microbiologists, oncologists and protein engineers as well as graduate students in immunology and vaccinology. Antibodies represent the correlate of protection for numerous vaccines and are the most rapidly growing class of drugs, with applications ranging from cancer and infectious disease to autoimmunity. Researchers have long understood the variable domain of antibodies, which are responsible for antigen recognition, and can provide protection by blocking the function of their target antigen. However, recent developments in our understanding of the protection mediated by antibodies have highlighted the critical nature of the antibody constant, or Fc domain, in the biological activity of antibodies. The Fc domain allows antibodies to link the adaptive and innate immune systems, providing specificity to a wide range of innate effector cells. In addition, they provide a feedback loop to regulate the character of the immune response via interactions with B cells and antigen-presenting cells. - Clarifies the different mechanisms of IgG activity at the level of the different model systems used, including human genetic, mouse, and in vitro - Covers the role of antibodies in cancer, infectious disease, and autoimmunity and in the setting of monoclonal antibody therapy as well as naturally raised antibodies - Color illustrations enhance explanations of the immune system

The book focuses on various aspects and properties of innate immunity, whose deep understanding is integral for safeguarding the human race from further loss of resources and economies due to innate immune response-mediated diseases. Throughout this book, we examine the individual mechanisms by which the innate immune response acts to protect the host from pathogenic infectious agents and other non-communicable diseases. Written by experts in the field, the volume discusses the significance of macrophages in infectious disease, tumor metabolism, and muscular disorders. Chapters cover such topics as the fate of differentiated macrophages and the molecular pathways that are important for the pathologic role of macrophages.

This book comprehensively reviews the anatomy, physiology, genetics and pathology of laboratory animals as well as the principles and practices of using laboratory animals for biomedical research.It covers the design of buildings used for laboratory animals, quality control of laboratory animals, and toxicology, and discusses various animal models used for human diseases. It also highlights aspects, such as handling and restraint and administration of drugs, as well as breeding and feeding of laboratory animals, and provides guidelines for developing meaningful experiments using laboratory animals.Further, the book discusses various alternatives to animal experiments for drug and chemical testing, including their advantages over the current approaches. Lastly, it examines the potential effect of harmful pathogens on the physiology of laboratory animals and discusses the state of art in in vivo imaging techniques.The book is a useful resource for research scientists, laboratory animal veterinarians, and students of laboratory animal medicine.

The Nod-like receptor (NLR) family of proteins are evolutionary conserved molecules that in plants and mammals have been implicated in innate immune sensing of microbes and infection-associated physiological changes, contributing to immune protection of the challenged host organism through the instruction of inflammatory responses, antimicrobial defense and adaptive immunity. Recent data however suggests that the biological roles of NLR go beyond the function of classical pattern recognition molecules (PRM) as they have been implicated in essential cellular processes including autophagy, apoptosis, modification of signal transduction and gene transcription as well as reproductive biology. In this research topic, we aim to provide a comprehensive state-of the art overview of the emerging functions of NLR in plant and mammalian immunity, cell biology and reproductive biology. Potential topics may include, but are not limited to the following areas: • Functions of NLRs as PRMs in infection • Cross-talk of NLRs with other PRMs • Signal transduction pathways of NLRs • New functions of NLRs other than pattern recognition • Structural aspects of NLR activation • Mechanisms of NLRs in cell biological processes • Aspects of NLRs in reproductive biology • Functions of NLRs in plant immune responses