Immunology: A Short Course

by Richard Coico

Overview

Immunology: A Short Course provides an overview of the physiology of the immune system and the pathophysiology of a broad range of immune-mediated diseases, offering accessible and comprehensive guidance to the basic concepts and clinical approaches in the discipline.

Now in its eighth edition, this bestselling textbook has been fully updated to reflect our expanded knowledge of how the immune system develops and functions, and the ways in which these physiological phenomena can fail or be compromised. New chapters examine cells and organs of the immune system, organization and expression of lymphocyte antigen receptor genes, experimental systems and methods, and B- and T-cell development activation. Helping students gain an integrated understanding of immunology, this textbook:

• Offers substantial new and revised material, expanded clinical coverage, enhanced pedagogical features, and updated figures, tables, and references
• Features recent research advances and therapeutic successes in the field of immunology
• Includes a companion website containing multiple choice questions, electronic flashcards, downloadable figures, PowerPoint slides, and sample cases
• Can be supplemented with the Clinical Cases in Immunology companion book 

The eighth edition of Immunology: A Short Course is an ideal resource for life and health science students, dental and nursing students seeking a short course text, and basic scientists and clinical researchers looking to refresh their knowledge in the subject. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781119551577
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	03/22/2021
Edition description:	8th ed.
Pages:	432
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Richard Coico is Director of the Clinical and Translational Science Center and Professor of Cell Biology and Medicine in the College of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in New York, USA. He is former President of the Association of Medical School Microbiology and Immunology Chairs (AMSMIC).

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Table of Contents

1 Overview of the Immune System 1

2 Cells and Tissues of the Immune System 13

3 Cells of the Innate Immunity 28

4 Complement 42

5 Immunogens and Antigens 58

6 Antibody Structure, Function, and Interactions with Antigen 70

7 Organization and Expression of Lymphocyte Antigen Receptor Genes 98

8 The Major Histocompatibility Complex and Antigen Presentation 116

9 B‐Cell Development and Activation 136

10 T‐Cell Development and Activation 154

11 Cytokines 191

12 Tolerance and Autoimmunity 209

13 Hypersensitivity: Type I 233

14 Hypersensitivity: Types II and III 249

15 Hypersensitivity: Type IV 259

16 Immunodeficiency Disorders and Neoplasias of the Lymphoid System 267

17 Transplantation 299

18 Tumor Immunology 313

19 Resistance and Immunization to Infectious Diseases 327

20 Experimental Systems and Methods 350

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Marion C. Cohen, PhD (SUNY Downstate Medical Center)
Description: This fifth edition of a basic textbook for students of immunology is based on the premise that less is more and focuses on what the authors believe is the essential need to know material for those new to the field. The previous edition was published in 2000.
Purpose: The purpose is to present a balanced and complete view of immunology that includes both basic scientific and clinical perspectives. The book has been written in a way that describes key topics without excessive detail or theoretical discussion. In this regard, it meets the needs of undergraduate and beginning graduate students as well as medical students and dental students. For the student who is overwhelmed by details in many courses, this is an excellent approach to learning basic concepts. The book meets the authors' objectives.
Audience: According to the authors, the book has been written for undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. Dental students would also find it useful. The authors are authorities in the field and this fifth edition represents an evolution in presentation.
Features: The book covers all of the material one would expect to find in a textbook for a basic immunology course. A clinical case study accompanies many of the chapters and there are review questions that accompany each chapter. There is some information that is not always found in immunology texts. A section on neoplasias of the lymphoid system is included in the chapter on immunodeficiency diseases. The chapter on resistance and immunization to infectious diseases provides good information on passive and active immunization. The chapters on tolerance and autoimmunity have been combined, which better reflects how some of us are now teaching these topics. There is a Web site that is an additional resource where updates will appear. The figures and tables that appear in the fourth edition are available on the site, but most instructors would expect to have access to the figures in the current edition; while most of the figures are the same in the two editions, there are additions to the fifth edition. Moreover, there are slight changes in the order of the chapters which means that some of the figure numbers are not identical. Perhaps the authors felt this was a minor inconvenience, but when preparing lectures it is not.
Assessment: This is an excellent textbook. It is very readable and the figures are easy to understand. While it is not as detailed as some books, it contains more than a sufficient amount of information for a basic course. Because of changes in the field, the preparation of a new edition is quite justified.

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