Our understanding of the complex innate immune response is increasing rapidly. Its role in the protection against viral or bacterial pathogens is essential for the survival of an organism. However, it is equally important to avoid unregulated inflammation because innate immune responses can cause or promote chronic autoinflammatory diseases such as gout, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes or certain aspects of the metabolic syndrome. In this book leading international experts in the field of innate immunity share their findings, define the ‚state of the art‘ in this field and evaluate how insight into the molecular basis of these diseases could help in the design of new therapies. A tremendous amount of work on the innate immune response has been done over the last fifteen years, culminating in the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine awarded for the discoveries of Toll genes in immunity in flies, membrane-bound Toll-like receptors in mammals, and dendritic cells as initiators of adaptive immunity.

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.

Innate immunity is a new branch of immunology, confirmed by three Nobel Prize winners in 2011. It is the first line of defense against pathogens and is in a way the preliminary step of adaptive immunity which occurs later, and only present in vertebrates. This book examines the way in which innate immunity was discovered in invertebrates. As a starting point, it looks at the work of Louis Pasteur on silkworm disease and the findings of Ilya Metchnikov, discoverer of phagocytosis. It also investigates André Paillot, who in 1920 demonstrated the existence of humoral immunity in insects, unrelated to the type of immunity that was initially thought to be present in all vertebrates. Finally, Innate Immunity shows how the group directed by Jules Hoffmann found strong similarities between the innate immunity response of insects and mammals. The discovery of a receptor protein in Drosophila, which is also found in humans, was what led to Jules Hoffmann being awarded the Nobel Prize in 2011. Presents the transformations experienced by the domains of innate immunity Shows the lineage of these results Bridges the gap between innate immunity of invertebrates and that of vertebrates

For many years, experiments using chimpanzees have been instrumental in advancing scientific knowledge and have led to new medicines to prevent life-threatening and debilitating diseases. However, recent advances in alternate research tools have rendered chimpanzees largely unnecessary as research subjects. The Institute of Medicine, in collaboration with the National Research Council, conducted an in-depth analysis of the scientific necessity for chimpanzees in NIH-funded biomedical and behavioral research. The committee concludes that while the chimpanzee has been a valuable animal model in the past, most current biomedical research use of chimpanzees is not necessary, though noted that it is impossible to predict whether research on emerging or new diseases may necessitate chimpanzees in the future.

Macrophages are the sentinels of the immune system whose role has evolved beyond providing aseptic conditions to homeostasis, immune regulation, development, and behaviour. These cells have varied ontogenetic origins which reflects in their phenotypic and functional heterogeneity. Macrophage functions are fine-tuned by exogenous and endogenous signals and once tweaked, the information is included in their genetic makeup, albeit not indefinitely. Subversion of the macrophage functions is the hallmark of many pathogenic organisms and modulation of macrophage activity is pivotal to many therapeutic strategies. Fascinating and rapid developments in this field have necessitated the maintenance of currency of knowledge. This book provides a current account of information on varied topics in macrophage biology. Literature surveys have been presented in a captivating and lucid language. The contributing authors have also provided brief accounts of their own research. Every chapter provides a future perspective of what more could be achieved in the context of the current knowledge. The book will be of interest to students and researchers in microbiology, immunobiology, translational research, pathology, and related fields.

Janis Kuby’s groundbreaking introduction to immunology was the first textbook for the course actually written to be a textbook. Like no other text, it combined an experimental emphasis with extensive pedagogical features to help students grasp basic concepts. Now in a thoroughly updated new edition, Kuby Immunology remains the only undergraduate introduction to immunology written by teachers of the course. In the Kuby tradition, authors Jenni Punt, Sharon Stranford, Patricia Jones, and Judy Owen present the most current topics in an experimental context, conveying the excitement of scientific discovery, and highlight important advances, but do so with the focus on the big picture of the study of immune response, enhanced by unsurpassed pedagogical support for the first-time learner. Punt, Stranford, Jones, and Owen bring an enormous range of teaching and research experiences to the text, as well as a dedication to continue the experiment-based, pedagogical-driven approach of Janis Kuby. For this edition, they have worked chapter by chapter to streamline the coverage, to address topics that students have the most trouble grasping, and to continually remind students where the topic at hand fits in the study of immunology as a whole.