| Students will become better acquainted with the structures and functions of the immune system, natural and acquired immunity and its regulation. Special attention is placed on immunity against infection.
1. Immunity – overview of basic functions: the role of immune systems, innate and adaptive immunity, regulation of the immune system.
2. Experimental systems in immunology. Cells and organs within the immune system: lymphocytes, mononuclear phagocytes, granulocytes, primary and secondary lymphoid organs, recirculation of lymphoid cells.
3. Antigens: chemical and biological properties, adjuvants, haptens, viral and bacterial antigens, mitogens,. Structure and function of immunoglobulins: antigenic determinants, on immunoglobulins, properties and function of immunoglobulin classes.
4. Antigen – antibody interaction: affinity avidity, immunological cross-reactivity. Immunochemical reaction. Monoclonal antibodies.
5. Organisation and expression of immunoglobulin genes.: development of antibody diversity.
6. Major histocompatibility complex: structure and function of MHC molecules. T-receptor: development of TCR diversity, MHC restriction, development of T cells.
7. Cytokines: structure and function of cytokines and their receptors. Development of humoral immune response: primary and secondary response, antigen presentation, role of cytokines.
8. Cell-mediated immunity: T-cell cytotoxicity, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, delayed type of hypersensitivity. Regulation of immunity, immunological tolerance.
9. The complement system: classical pathway, alternative and lectin pathway of complement activation, regulation. Hypersensitivity: immediate and delayed hypersensitivity, anaphylaxis, hypersensitivity from immune complexes.
10. Vaccines: inactivated, attenuated, subunit, recombinant, vector vaccines. Immune response to infection: viral, bacterial and parasitic infections.
11. Transplantation immunology: transplantation antigens, mechanisms of graft rejection, immunosuppression. Anti-cancer immunity: malignant transformation of cells, tumour antigens, tumour immunotherapy.
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