1. Overview of the Immune System: Historical Review. Infection and Immunity. Innate and
adaptive immunity. Humoral and cellular mediated immunity.
2. Cells and organs of the immune system: Hematopoiesis. Apoptosis. Immune system
cells. Immune system organs.
3. Innate immunity: Anatomical barriers. Relationships of innate and adaptive immunity.
Inflammation. Soluble molecules and membrane receptors. Toll Receptors. Cellular types
of innate immunity. Signaling pathways.
4. Antigens – Antibodies: Immunogenicity- Antigenicity. Basic antibody structure. Antibody
binding sites. Antibody functions. Family of immunoglobulins. Monoclonal Antibodies.
5. Organization and expression of immunoglobin genes: Polygenic organization of
immunoglobulin genes. Gene rearrangements of the variable region. Variety of
antibodies. Class switch. Expression of membrane and secretory immunoglobulin.
6. Major histocompatibility complex - antigen processing and presentation: Organization
of the MHC locus. MHC molecules and genes. Cellular MHC expression. The role of
antigen-presenting cells. Endogenous antigen - Cytoplasmic route. Exogenous antigen -
Intracellular route.
7. T cell receptor: Structure and roles of αβ and γδ T cell receptors. Organization and
rearrangement of TCR genes. TCR-CD3 complex. CD4 and CD8 co-receptors. TCRMHC/peptide binding.
8. Maturation, differentiation, activation of T lymphocytes: Maturation of T cells in the
thymus. Positive and negative selection. Activation of T cells, stimulatory signals. T cell
differentiation. Cell death.
9. Maturation, differentiation, activation of B lymphocytes: Maturation of B lymphocytes.
Activation and proliferation of B lymphocytes. Humoral response. Germinal centers and
antigen-induced B cell differentiation.
10.Cytokines: Properties of cytokines. Cytokine receptors. Cytokine production from TH1
and TH2 subpopulations. Cytokine therapeutic applications.
11.Cell-mediated cytotoxic responses: Effector T cells. Cytotoxic T cells. Destruction of cells
by cytotoxic T cells.
12.Tolerance and autoimmunity, Autoimmune diseases: Central tolerance. Peripheral
tolerance. Organ-specific autoimmune diseases. Systemic autoimmune diseases.
Mechanisms of autoimmunity.
Laboratory:
Study of Antibody structure and epitope mapping - ELISA method - Histological
analysis of lymphoid organs - Western blot - Flow cytometry.
Immunology. Male D, Brostoff D, Roth D, Roitt I. 8th edition, Elsevier. 2012.
Kuby Immunology. Goldsby RA, Osborne BA, Kuby J. 6
th edition. 2006
