Cell Biology and Immunology of Leukocyte Function

Book excerpt: Cell Biology and Immunology of Leukocyte Function is a collection of papers presented at the 12th International Leukocyte Culture Conference, held in Beersheba, Israel on June 1978. This book is organized into seven parts encompassing 111 chapters. The contributors cover the different aspects of cell biology and immunology and the unique leukocyte function. Part I describes the mechanism of lymphocyte activation, the structure and function of the plasma membrane, and the macromolecular synthesis during lymphocyte activation. This part also deals with the interaction of lymphocytes with mitogenic lectins, the comparison of the mitogenic and nonmitogenic lectin binding, and the role of macrophages in the response of lymphocytes to lectins. Part II explores the thymic factors and the development of characteristic markers, antigens, and receptors. This part particularly emphasizes lymphocyte differentiation. Parts III and IV examine the genetic control and intercellular interactions involved in leukocyte function and the parameters of the immune response under in vitro conditions. Chapters on cytotoxicity, the mechanisms of phagocytic killing, autoimmunity, and the responses of leukocytes to tumor cells are included in these parts. Part V discusses the interactions of viruses and leukocytes and provides data on the physical mapping and analysis of sarcoma and leukemia viruses, while Part VI considers the application of leukocyte culture to problems of clinical medicine. Part VII involves the study of radiation effects, with an emphasis on the application of total lymphoid irradiation to the induction of transplantation tolerance. This part also looks into the role of the DNA repair process. Cell biologists, immunologists, and biomedical scientists and researchers will greatly benefit from this book.