Main description:

Leukocyte culture conferences have a long pedigree. This volume records some of the scientific highlights of the 16th such annual con ference, and is a witness to the continuing evolution and popularity of leukocyte culture and of immunology. There is strong evidence of the widening horizons of immunology, both technically, with the obviously major impact of molecular biology into our understanding of cellular processes, and also conceptually. Traditionally, the 'proceedings' of these conferences have been published. But have the books produced really recorded the major part of the conference, the informal, friendly, but intense and some times heated exchanges that take place between workers in tackling very similar problems and systems and which are at the heart of every successful conference? Unfortunately this essence cannot be incorpo rated by soliciting manuscripts. For this reason, we have changed the format of publication, retaining published versions of the symposium papers, but requesting the workshop chairmen to produce a summary of the major new observations and areas of controversy highlighted in their sessions, as a vehicle for defining current areas of interest and debate. Not an easy task, as the workshop topics were culled from the abstracts submitted by the participants, rather than being on predefined topics. The unseasonal warmth in Cambridge was reflected in the atmos phere of the conference, the organization of which benefited from the administrative skills of Jean Bacon, Philippa Wells, Mr. Peter Irving, and Mrs.

Contents:

I. T Cell Receptors.- Molecular and Functional Analysis of the Human T Cell Antigen/MHC Receptor.- Expression Patterns of the Beta Chain of the T Cell Receptor for Antigen.- Non Antigen-Specific Surface Molecules Involved in T Lymphocyte Function.- T Cell Activation Antigens: Kinetics, Tissue Distribution, Molecular Weights, and Functions; Induction on Non T Cell Lines by Lymphokines.- The Induction of Antigen Specific Unresponsiveness in Cloned T Lymphocytes.- Workshop Summaries.- Signals in B Cell Activation.- Molecular Events in T Lymphocyte Activation.- Human Regulatory Cell Interactions.- Human Natural Killer Cells.- Control of MHC Gene Expression.- II. Growth And Differentiation Factors.- Haemopoietic Cell Growth Factor: Characterisation and Mode of Action.- Regulation of Human B Lymphocytes Differentiation: Characteristics of B Cell Stimulatory Factors.- The Human B Cell Cycle: Activation, Proliferation, and Differentiation.- Possible Autoregulatory Roles of Interleukin 1 for Normal Human Epithelial Cells, Monocytes, and B Lymphocytes.- Cloning of an IgE Immunoregulatory Factor by Expression in Mammalian Cells.- Workshop Summaries.- Normal and Abnormal B Cell Regulation.- Probing the T-Cell Repertoire.- Role of Thymus T Cell Differentiation.- Regulation of NK Activity.- Receptors Involved in T Cell Activation.- III. Lymphocyte Transformation.- Transformation of Cells by Epstein-Barr Virus: An Hypothesis.- Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Retroviruses (HTLV) Associated with T-Cell Malignancy and Immunodeficiency: In Vitro Studies.- Stage Specific Transforming Genes in Lymphoid Neoplasms.- Molecular Cloning and Expression of cDNAs Encoding the Human Interleukin-2 Receptor.- Mantle Zone and Germinal Center B Cells Respond to Different Activation Signals.- Development of T Cells Within the Thymus.- IV. Selective Recognition By T And B Cells.- Intrathymic Differentiation and the T Cell Repertoire.- Molecular Nature of T Cell Recognition of Antigen.- Recognition of Viral Nucleoprotein by Influenza A Specific Cytotoxic T Cells.- The Chemistry of Antigen-Antibody Union.- Peptides as Potential Vaccines Against Foot and Mouth Disease.- Workshop Summaries.- Bone Marrow Differentiation.- Role of Cell Surface Molecules in T Cell Triggering.- Mechanisms of T Cell Suppression.- Mechanisms of Immunological Perturbations.- Regulation of T Cell Growth.- V. Accessory Cells And Antigen Presentation.- Inducer Accessory Cells as Regulators of the Immune Response.- Functional Aspects of Accessory Cell Heterogeneity.- Can Epithelial Cells Present Surface Autoantigens?.- Antigen Processing: A Reevaluation.- The Nature and Functions of Follicular Dendritic Cells.- Workshop Summaries.- Mechanisms of Autoimmunity.- Function of Effector T Cells.- Antigen Presenting Cells.- Progress in Antimicrobial Immunity.- Molecular Mediators of Lymphocyte Activation and Proliferation.