The oral mucosa is a challenging environment from an immunological perspective, containing discrete niches with a unique architecture and function that requires precise adjustment of the immune system. Being the port of entry to the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, the oral cavity is also constantly challenged by antigens derived from air and food. Moreover, the oral cavity is the sole tissue of the body harboring a hard surface (i.e. the tooth) that is exposed to the hostile external environment, resulting in the formation of a complex biofilm that has local and systemic effects. To deal with such challenges, the oral immune system aims to prevent the invasion of pathogens/harmful antigens and to tolerate non-pathogenic counterparts in order to maintain homeostasis. In recent years, numerous studies have addressed these fundamental issues, revealing sophisticated mechanisms engaged by the immune system to maintain oral mucosal homeostasis and to combat various immunological insults. Some of these studies have identified novel immunological mechanisms, emphasizing the uniqueness of the oral immune system and the necessity to further investigate its functions.

Immunologists, perhaps understandably, most often concentrate on the human immune system, an anthropocentric focus that has resulted in a dearth of information about the immune function of all other species within the animal kingdom. However, knowledge of animal immune function could help not only to better understand human immunology, but perhaps more importantly, it could help to treat and avoid the blights that affect animals, which consequently affect humans. Take for example the mass death of honeybees in recent years – their demise, resulting in much less pollination, poses a serious threat to numerous crops, and thus the food supply. There is a similar disappearance of frogs internationally, signaling ecological problems, among them fungal infections. This book aims to fill this void by describing and discussing what is known about non-human immunology. It covers various major animal phyla, its chapters organized in a progression from the simplest unicellular organisms to the most complex vertebrates, mammals. Chapters are written by experts, covering the latest findings and new research being conducted about each phylum. Edwin L. Cooper is a Distinguished Professor in the Laboratory of Comparative Immunology, Department of Neurobiology at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine.

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.

This book brings together the world’s leading authorities on tumor immunology. This book describes the basic immunology principles that form the foundation of understanding how the immune system recognizes and rejects tumor cells. The role of the innate and adaptive immune responses is discussed and the implications of these responses for the design of clinical strategies to combat cancer are illustrated.

Recent advances in understanding of fundamental immunology have created new insights into the dynamic interactions between tumors and the immune system. This includes new understanding of T- and B-cell interaction, immune inhibitory mechanisms including the biology of T regulatory cells, myeloid suppressor cells, and dendritic cell subsets. Enhanced understanding of mechanisms underlying T-cell anergy such as arginine deprivation, immunosuppressive cytokines, defective innate and interferon response pathways, and NKG2D downregulation have all provided new insight into suppression of anti-tumor immunity and tumor evasion. In addition to emerging understanding of tumor evasion, new immune targets such as CTLA4 blockade, NK stimulatory receptors, manipulation of the antigen processing and presentation, cytokine and costimulatory responses all provide new possibilities for enhancing anti-tumor immunity even in tumors previously felt to be resistant to immune attack. Several of these strategies have already been realized in the clinic. The volume will explore evolving paradigms in antigen presentation, dendritic cell biology, the innate response and immunosuppressive mechanisms, and emerging strategies for manipulation of the immune system for therapeutic benefit that have realized success in neuroblastoma, leukemia, melanoma, lung cancer, and allogeneic transplantation. Early successes as well as failures will be highlighted to provide a snapshot of the state of clinical immunotherapy with an eye to future possibilities such as combination therapies, adoptive T-cell transfer, and the retargeting of immune cells via T-cell receptor engineering.

Fundamental Immunology Seventh Edition This standard-setting textbook has defined the field of immunology since 1984, and is now in its Seventh Edition continuing to deliver the detailed, authoritative, and timely coverage readers expect. This comprehensive, up-to-date text is ideal for graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, basic and clinical immunologists, microbiologists and infectious disease physicians, and any physician treating diseases in which immunologic mechanisms play a role. Now full-color throughout the book's fully revised and updated content reflects the latest advances in the field. Current insights enhance readers' understanding of immune system function. The text's unique approach bridges the gap between basic immunology and the disease process. Extensive coverage of molecular biology explains the molecular dynamics underlying immune disorders and their treatment. Abundant illustrations and tables deliver essential information at a glance. Plus a convenient companion website features the fully searchable text with all references linked to PubMed. Look inside and discover... * Fully revised and updated content reflects the latest advances in the field. * Current insights enhance readers' understanding of immune system function * Unique approach bridges the gap between basic immunology and the disease process. * Extensive coverage of molecular biology explains the molecular dynamics underlying immune disorders and their treatment. * Abundant illustrations and tables deliver essential information at a glance. PLUS... A convenient companion website features the fully searchable text with all references linked to PubMed. Pick up your copy today!

In Immunotherapy for Infectious Disease, Jeffrey M. Jacobson, MD, and a panel of leading researchers review the state-of-the-art for treating various infections-particularly HIV-by manipulating the immune system's response rather than by chemical drugs. The contributors synthesize the principles of immune defense on the molecular level (monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, methods of antigen presentation, and cytokines and cytokine antagonists), as well as on the cellular and clinical levels levels as a protection against infection. The review of the current state of anti-HIV immunotherapy covers HIV-specific passive and active immunization strategies, gene therapy, and host cell-targeted approaches for treating HIV infection and restoring immune function.

Immunology has emerged as a key component of the curricula of graduate and postgraduate courses in biotechnology, microbiology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, and other interdisciplinary fields of biology, including zoology, veterinary science, and medicine. As a basic introductory textbook on one of the fastest-moving and most challenging areas of immunological science, this book contains the most recent information about immunologic mechanisms and their importance, along with various molecular techniques employed in immunology. The short and concise text helps make the structures, processes, and interactions of the immune system easily comprehensible. The book includes chapters on immunoinformatics as well as the immune system of the brain, rarely found in any of the immunology books published so far. Many diverse and interesting aspects of the advances in immunology have also been covered, including tumor immunology and immunodeficiency disorders. The easy-to-understand concepts presented in the textbook make it an ideal companion for learners preparing for competitive and other examinations. Undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students, people from the industry and academia, and research scholars will immensely benefit from it.

Immunology is the branch of biomedical sciences to study of the immune system physiology both in healthy and diseased states. Some aspects of autoimmunity draws our attention to the fact that it is not always associated with pathology. For instance, autoimmune reactions are highly useful in clearing off the excess, unwanted or aged tissues from the body. Also, generation of autoimmunity occurs after the exposure to the non-self antigen that is structurally similar to the self, aided by the stimulatory molecules like the cytokines. Thus, a narrow margin differentiates immunity from auto-immunity as already discussed. Hence, finding answers for how the physiologic immunity turns to pathologic autoimmunity always remains a question of intense interest. However, this margin could be cut down only if the physiology of the immune system is better understood. The individual chapters included in this book will cover all the possible aspects of immunology and pathologies associated with it. The authors have taken strenuous effort in elaborating the concepts that are lucid and will be of reader's interest.