SECTION 4 Immunological mechanisms

4.1 The innate immune system 307 ESSENTIALS The innate immune system comprises evolutionarily anc...

4.2 The complement system 315 ESSENTIALS The complement system, consisting of soluble and membran...

4.3 Adaptive immunity 325 ESSENTIALS Following the innate immune response, which acts very rapidl...

4.4 Immunodeficiency 337 ESSENTIALS Immunodeficiency is caused by failure of a component of the i...

4.5 Allergy 368 ESSENTIALS Allergy is common and becoming commoner: it now affects about one-​thi...

4.6 Autoimmunity 379 ESSENTIALS Autoimmune diseases occur when a sustained, specific, adaptive im...

4.7 Principles of transplantation immunology 392 ESSENTIALS The survival of transplanted organs r...