Download or read book B Cell Biology in Autoimmunity written by David Ahmad Nemazee and published by Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers. This book was released on 2003 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: B cells play a central role not only in adaptive immunity, but also in autoimmunity. To understand how B cells are normally prevented from reacting to self-tissue, what goes wrong in autoimmunity, and how B cells contribute to it is the aim of this book. This volume includes more than a dozen in-depth reviews by researchers specializing in various aspects of basic B cell biology that have relevance to autoimmune diseases. These up-to-date chapters present the latest information on B cell signal transduction, apoptosis, genetics and molecular biology. Also featured are chapters with special reference to particular autoimmune diseases in which B cells have been shown to play a critical role, such as type 1 diabetes, chronic graft-versus-host disease and lupus erythematosus. Further topics covered include the role of the complement system, rheumatoid factors, and anti-DNA autoantibodies as well as important related areas such as natural autoantibodies, B cell immune tolerance, Toll receptor signaling, and the immunobiology of BAFF/BLyS. Both basic researchers and clinician scientists who wish to understand the role of B lymphocytes in immune tolerance and autoimmunity will benefit from this timely publication.