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.

Table of Contents:
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

Review :
"This is a fine reference that describes both the basic science background and the clinical applications of available measures of immune function that are currently used by researchers and clinicians. It appears to fill a niche for which there is no competition." - Marion C. Cohen, PhD, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-NJMS for Doody's: 3 Star Review