The Antigens

The Antigens, Volume I is a comprehensive treatise covering all aspects of antigens, including their chemistry and biology, structure and function, their initiation of the immune response, and the nature of the products of this response. The nature of the reaction of antigens with antibodies and with sensitized cells is also explored.

Comprised of seven chapters, this volume begins with a discussion on the antigenic functions of nucleic acids as well as their immunogenicity, hapten functions, and serologic reactions. The reader is then introduced to the immunochemistry and antigenic determinants of enzymes, along with the structure and phylogeny of immunoglobulins and immunoglobulin allotypes. The evolution of proteins and their structure and function is also considered, paying particular attention to evolution by the random fixation of selectively neutral alleles, the rates of protein evolution, gene duplication, and divergence or convergence. The final chapter is devoted to the chemistry and biology of immunoglobulin E as well as the regulation of formation of their antibodies.

This book will be of interest to practitioners and researchers in immunology, experimental and clinical medicine, biochemistry, and other disciplines.

Contenu

List of Contributors
Preface
Contents of Volume II
Chapter 1 Nucleic Acid Antigens
I. Introduction
II. Criteria for Establishing a Nucleic Acid Immune System
III. Possible Antigenic Determinants and the Meaning of Specificity
IV. Experimentally Induced Antibodies to Nucleic Acids
V. The Natural Occurence of Antibodies to Nucleic Acids
VI. Applications of Antibodies to Nucleic Acids
VII. Conclusion
References
Chapter 2 Immunochemistry of Enzymes
I. Introduction
II. Inhibition and Enhancement of Enzyme Activity by Specific Antibodies
III. Immunologic Approach to Evolution of Enzymes
IV. Antigenic Determinants of Enzymes
V. Structure-Function Correlation Pertaining to Catalytic and Immunologic Activities
VI. Immunologic Relationship Between Enzymes and Their Inactive Precursors
VII. Enzymes and Apoenzymes
VIII. Multiple Forms of Enzymes
IX. Allosteric Enzymes
X. Individual Enzymes: Immunochemical Characterization
XI. Concluding Remarks
References
Chapter 3 Structure of Immunoglobulins
I. Introduction
II. History
III. Nomenclature
IV. Tertiary and Quanternary Structure
V. Disulfide Bond Arrangements
VI. Primary Structure of Immunoglobulin Chains
VII. The Nature of the Antibody Combining Site
VIII. Immunoglobulins as Antigens
IX. Immunoglobulin Genetic Markers
X. Immunoglobulin Gene Translocation
XI. The Origin of Immunoglobulin Diversity
XII. Future Prospects
References
Chapter 4 Immunoglobulin Allotypes
I. Introduction
II. Allotypes of Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Immunoglobulins
III. The Allotypes and Idiotypes of Mouse (Mus musculus) Immunoglobulins
IV. Allotypes of Human Immunoglobulins
References
Chapter 5 The Evolution of Proteins
I. Introduction
II. Goals of the Study of Protein Evolution
III. Data Collection for Studies of Protein Evolution
IV. The Evolution of Structure and Function
V. Evolution by the Random Fixation of Selectively Neutral Alleles
VI. The Rates of Protein Evolution
VII. Gene Duplication and Divergence or Convergence
VIII. The Future
Refereces
Chapter 6 Phylogeny of Immunoglobulins
I. Introduction
II. Natural Agglutinins
III. Cyclostome Immunoglobulins
IV. Elasmobranch Immunoglobulins
V. OSteichthyes Immunoglobulins
VI. Amphibian Immunoglobulins
VII. Reptile Immunoglobulins
VIII. Avian Immunoglobulins
IX. Amino Acid Sequence Analysis of Nonmammalian Vertebrate Immunoglobulins
X. The Specificity, Affinity, and Heterogeneity of Antibody Response in Nonmammalian Vertebrates
XI. Evolution of a Four-Chain Immunoglobulin Molecule
XII. Conclusions and Summary
Refereces
Chapter 7 Chemistry and Biology of Immunoglobulin E
I. Introduction
II. Identification of IgE
III. Physicochemical Properties and Structure
IV. Immunologic Properties
V. Formation and Metabolism
VI. Molecular and Cellular Basis of Sensitization
VII. Immune Mechanisms of Reaginic Hypersensitivity Reactions
VIII. Biologic Role of IgE System
IX. Regulation of IgE Antibody Formation
References
Author Index
Subject Index