Introductory Immunology: Basic Concepts for Interdisciplinary Applications

Introductory Immunology: Basic Concepts for Interdisciplinary Applications, Third Edition is a completely updated, revised and expanded concise, conceptual approach to understanding the immune systems as a primary defense to maintain health and homeostasis. This expanded version includes aspects of microbiology and related immune defense mechanisms important in combating disease, as well critical components related to the field of vaccine development.

Immunology as a subject is no longer confined to the realms of immunology or microbiology studies. Indeed, the subject matter has become increasingly important to understand complex mechanisms found within a wider range of biological systems. Introductory Immunology: Basic Concepts for Interdisciplinary Applications, Third Edition is specifically focused towards an educated audience that does not have a deep understanding of medical, biochemical, or cellular knowledge. The overall text will present concepts to allow a comprehensive picture of the natural defenses to infectious agents, as well as an introduction to mechanisms that lead to autoimmune dysfunction. In addition, immunologically based diseases will be detailed, with the goal of allowing the reader to gain sufficient knowledge to make sound choices for clinical decisions to affect treatment outcomes.

This new edition expands on the existing chapters, focusing on updating the previous text. It has been expanded to include knowledge on effector mechanisms addressing components inherent within cellular responses that are either newly discovered, or missing from the previous edition. It has an extra emphasis on aspects related to mechanisms important in combating microbial agents, and critical sections on how vaccines protect against pathogenic invaders to limit associated pathology.