Insect Immunology

This work is the first book-length publication on the topic of insect immunology since 1991, complementing earlier works by offering a fresh perspective on current research. Interactions of host immune systems with both parasites and pathogens are presented in detail, as well as the genomics and proteomics, approaches which have been lacking in other publications. Beckage provides comprehensive coverage of topics important to medical researchers, including Drosophila as a model for studying cellular and humoral immune mechanisms, biochemical mediators of immunity, and insect blood cells and their functions.

Encompasses the most important topics of insect immunology including mechanisms, genes, proteins, evolution and phylogenyProvides comprehensive coverage of topics important to medical researchers including Drosophila as a model for studying cellular and humoral immune mechanisms, biochemical mediators of immunity, and insect blood cells and their functionsMost up-to-date information published with contributions from international leaders in the field

Preface: An Insect's Perspective on Immunity

1: Insect and Vertebrate Immunity: Key Similarities versus Differences
Otto Schmidt, Ulrich Theopold and Nancy E. Beckage

2: Insect Hemocytes and their Role in Immunity
Michael R. Strand

3: Eicosanoid Actions in Insect Immunology
David W. Stanley and Jon S. Miller

4: Phenoloxidases in Insect Immunity
Michael R. Kanost and Maureen J. Gorman

5: Evidence for Specificity and Memory in the Insect Innate Immune Response
Linh N. Pham and David S. Schneider

6: Bidirectional Connections Between the Immune System and the Nervous System in Insects
Shelley Anne Adamo

7: Bloodfeeding as an Interface of Mammalian and Arthropod Immunity
Leyla Akman-Anderson, Yoram Vodovotz, Ruben Zamora, and Shirley Luckhart

8: Mosquito Immunity to the Malaria Parasite
Lindsey S. Garver, Luke Baton and George Dimopoulos

9: Insect Immunity to Viruses
Wendy O. Sparks, Lyric C. Bartholomay and Byrony C. Bonning

10: Parasitoid Polydnaviruses and Insect Immunity
Nancy E. Beckage

11: Insect Immune Recognition and Suppression
Otto Schmidt

12: RNAi and the Insect Immune System
Stuart E. Reynolds and Ioannis Eleftherianos

13: Epilogue: Pathways into the Future of Insect Immunology
Nancy E. Beckage