Measuring Immunity: Basic Science and Clinical Practice

Most of the diseases of modern mankind involve either acute or chronic inflammation. Measuring Immunity integrates the current information available on biomarkers and surrogate assays into a single handbook. It highlights the principles behind various applications, gives a brief summary on how they are conducted and provides detailed and critical analyses of murine models of immunity, clinical trials, and tests to predict utility and benefit. Measuring Immunity is indispensable for scientists and clinicians interested in the clinical applications of modern immunobiology.

* Defines which assays of immune function are helpful in the assessment of clinical disorders involving inflammation and immunity
* Assesses the dynamics of cellular and soluble factors in the peripheral blood using modern techniques
* Includes basic science foundations as well as the approaches currently applied

Introduction
Preface
FUNDAMENTALS OF THE IMMMUNE RESPONSE
MHC Class I
MHC Class II
Cytokine receptor heterogeneity
Measuring cytokine polymorphisms: functional variations and disease associations
Signaling molecules affecting immune response
Toll like receptors in innate immunity
DNA sequence-specific transcription factors
Genetic factors diversity in NK and NKT cells
SEROLOGIC ASSAYS
Handling sera and obtaining fluid from different compartments practical considerations
Acute- phase proteins and inflammation: immunological and clinical implications, Complement in health and disease
Immunoglobulin titers and immunoglobulin subtypes
Human antiglobulin responses
Measuring Rheumatoid Factors
Autoantibodies
Measuring antibody affinity using fluorescence
SLE associated tests
Multiplexed serum assays
CELLULAR ENUMERATION AND PHENOTYPING
Handling and storage of cells and sera: practical considerations
Phenotypic and functional measurements on circulating immune cells and their subsets
Natural Killer cells
Tetramer Analysis
Peripheral blood naive and memory B cells
Dendritic cells
Monocytes and macrophages
Tumor cells
Intracellular cytokine assays
CELLULAR FUNCTION AND PHYSIOLOGY
Cytolytic assays
Mixed leukocyte reactions
Antigen/mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation
Monitoring cell death
Cytokine enzyme linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay
Testing natural killer cells
PROVOCATIVE ASSAYS in vivo
Delayed type hypersensitivity responses
Rebuck windows: granulocyte function
The vascular and coagulation systems
Sentinel node assays
Imaging inflammation
ASSAYS IN ACUTE AND CHRONIC DISEASES
Cancer–solid tumors
Cancer–hematologic disorders
Autoimmunity–type 1 diabetes
Autoimmunity–systemic lupus erythematosus
Autoimmunity–multiple sclerosis
Autoimmunity–gastrointestinal
Autoimmunity–endocrine
Autoimmunity–vasculitisTransplantation
Viral responses–HIV 1
Viral responses–Epstein- Barr virus
Viral responses–hepatitis
Dermatology
Atherosclerosis
Primary immunodeficiencies
Asthma and allergy
NEW TECHNOLOGIES
Cerum proteomic profiling and analysis
Imaging cytometry
Cancer biometrics
Genomics and microarrays
Image informatics
INDEX of manufacturers and suppliers, addresses, web site