Immunodeficiencies: Primary and Secondary
Immunodeficiencies result from genetic defects in immune components or from external factors that impair immune function, leading to increased susceptibility to infections and associated complications.
Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy
Tumor immunology studies the interactions between the immune system and cancer, while immunotherapy harnesses immune mechanisms to recognize and eliminate tumor cells.
Autoimmunity and Hypersensitivity
Autoimmunity arises when the immune system mistakenly attacks self-tissues, while hypersensitivity encompasses excessive or inappropriate immune responses that cause tissue damage.
The Major Histocompatibility Complex
The major histocompatibility complex encodes MHC molecules that present peptide antigens to T cells, playing a central role in immune recognition, transplant rejection, and disease association.
B Cell Development and Antibody Production
B cells develop in the bone marrow and produce antibodies that neutralize pathogens, with each B cell generating a unique immunoglobulin through genetic recombination and somatic hypermutation.
T Cell Development and Activation
T cells develop in the thymus through a rigorous selection process and are activated by antigen presentation to orchestrate cell-mediated immune responses.
The Complement System
The complement system is a cascade of serum proteins that opsonizes pathogens, recruits inflammatory cells, and directly lyses microbes through the membrane attack complex.
Cytokines and Chemokines
Cytokines and chemokines are small signaling proteins that mediate intercellular communication in the immune system, regulating inflammation, immunity, and hematopoiesis.
Antigen-Antibody Interactions
Antigen-antibody interactions are specific, non-covalent binding events that form the basis of adaptive immunity and immunological assays.
