Gary A. Koretzky, MD, PhD, is an emeritus professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical and an emeritus professor of microbiology and immunology at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine.
Description
The science behind the extraordinary system that keeps you healthy every day. The immune system-a network of cells, molecules, and organs working together to defend us-is one of nature's most intricate and awe-inspiring achievements. Your Immune System offers readers an illuminating tour of this vital realm, guided by an accomplished physician-scientist whose career has been devoted to understanding its extraordinary power. Gary A. Koretzky, MD, PhD, explains the fundamental principles that make immunity possible: the cells that sense and respond to danger, the two arms of the immune system that provide rapid and lasting protection, and the language that allows these components to communicate with precision. He explains how vaccination became humanity's first and most effective means of using immune knowledge to promote health and prevent disease. But what happens when immunity falters or misfires? Koretzky explores immunodeficiencies, in which defenses fail to activate; allergies, when the body mistakes harmless substances for threats; and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and Myasthenia Gravis, where self-recognition goes tragically awry. Your Immune System outlines why these conditions arise and why they persist as one of medicine's greatest challenges. Koretzky connects the biological foundation of immunity to modern breakthroughs in diagnosis and therapy that are reshaping the treatment of cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious disease. An accessible introduction to the elegance of the immune system, this book invites readers to appreciate the marvel of the body's most complex-and indispensable-protector.
Contents List of Illustrations Introduction Part I. The Basics of the Human Immune System Chapter 1 The Fundamental Principles of Immunity Chapter 2 The Innate and Adaptive Immune Systems Chapter 3 Antibodies, Diversity, and the B Cell Antigen Receptor Chapter 4 Transplantation and Explorations into T Cells Chapter 5 Putting It All Together A Case of COVID-19 Chapter 6 Allergy From an Inconvenience to a Life-Threatening Emergency Chapter 7 Balancing Immune Responses Part II. Passive and Active Immunization Chapter 8 Therapeutic Antibodies Chapter 9 Early Vaccine Successes Chapter 10 The Modern Era of Vaccination Part III. Immunodeficiencies and Autoimmunity Chapter 11 Congenital Immunodeficiencies Chapter 12 Acquired Immunodeficiencies Chapter 13 Recognizing Self, Part 1 Central T Cell Tolerance Chapter 14 Recognizing Self, Part 2 Peripheral T Cell Tolerance Chapter 15 Autoimmunity in Adults Nature plus Nurture Chapter 16 Four Pathways to Autoimmunity Part IV. The Immunotherapy Revolution: Suppressing and Augmenting Immune Cell Function Chapter 17 From Basic Immunology to Patient Care Chapter 18 Five New Approaches to Suppressing Immune Responses Chapter 19 Early Approaches to Treating Cancer Chapter 20 Cancer Immunotherapy in 2025 Epilogue Acknowledgments Glossary Notes Index