Main description:

This book had its origins in some conversations held several years ago. It was felt that a monograph on the subject of tissue specificity might have some merit and interest for a number of scientific workers in the relevant disciplines. Writing was begun slowly, with interruptions; more recently, there has been much more activity, and the relevant literature has been searched and cited up to early 1973. This book was never intended as an exhaustive coverage of all possible topics related to tissue specificity. The tissues and organs covered in six chapters constitute a selected group, representative of areas in which the author has worked and which are thus directly familiar to him, plus several other areas where illustrative and important discoveries have been made. There are other areas of equal importance and interest, but the book would have been much too large if I had tried to cover all of them. The author had several groups of readers in mind, including students of immunology and the related fields of immunochemistry, biochemistry, and immunopathology. Students of general biology could find it useful. For students of medicine and practicing physicians it may provide a useful review in a field that has many clinical correlations in human disease. The author assumes that the reader has a basic knowledge of immunological concepts and technics, but for some purposes elementary treatments are cited for background reference.

Contents:

1 Concepts of Specificity.- 2 The Thyroid Gland.- 1. Early Findings of Tissue Specificity and of the Protein Composition of Extracts.- 2. Purification of Thyroglobulin and other Thyroid Proteins; Problems of Heterogeneity and Instability.- a) Early Studies.- b) Fractionation by Chromatography-Early Approaches.- c) Fractionation by Ammonium Sulfate Precipitation: Thyralbumin and Thyroglobulin.- d) Fractionation by Centrifugation; Dissociation of Thyroglobulin.- e) Fractionation by Chromatography-Later Approaches; the Thyroid Family of Proteins.- f) Biochemical and Immunochemical Heterogeneity of Thyroglobulin.- 3. Subunit Structure of the Thyroglobulin Molecule.- 4. Detailed Studies of Thyroid Specificity.- a) The Species Distribution of Thyroid Antigens.- b) The Substance Responsible for Thyroid Specificity.- 5. The Formation of Autoantibodies.- a) Isoimmunization and Thyroiditis.- b) Autoantigenic Determinant Groups.- 3 The Adrenal Gland.- 1. Thermostable Antigens of Adrenal.- 2. Thermolabile Antigens of Adrenal.- 3. Experimental Adrenalitis.- 4. Human Adrenalitis.- 4 The Brain.- 1. The Several Brain-Specific Antigens.- 2. The Lipid Haptens.- a) Glycolipids as Normal Organ-Specific Haptens.- b) Gangliosides as Antigenic Markers of Disease.- 3. The Basic Proteins; Allergic Encephalomyelitis (AE).- a) Induction, Transfer, and Suppression of AE.- b) Chemical Nature of the Encephalitogenic Factor.- ?) Proteolipids and Collagen-Like Proteins.- ?) Basic Proteins.- c) Chemical Structures of the Encephalitogens.- d) Biological Properties of the Several Encephalitogen Molecules.- e) Diversity of Antigenic Determinants.- f) Relationship of AE to Human Disease.- 4. The Acidic Proteins.- 5. The Neutral Proteins.- 6. The Thermostable, Enthanol-Insoluble Proteins.- a) Antigenic Properties.- b) Chemical Properties.- 5 The Reproductive System.- 1. Spermatozoal and Testicular Antigens.- a) Experimental Aspermatogenesis.- b) Human Spermagglutinins.- 2. Antigens of the Male Accessory Glands of Reproduction..- a) Prostate Gland and Prostatic Fluid.- ?) Human Prostatic Fluid.- ?) Canine Prostatic Fluid.- ?) Rabbit Prostatic Tissues.- i) The Accessory Glands.- ii) Stimulation by Cryosurgery.- iii) The Antigens Shared with Seminal Plasma.- b) Seminal Plasma.- ?) Immunogenicity of Seminal Plasma.- ?) Composition of Human Seminal Plasma.- i) Physicochemical Properties.- ii) Antigenic Analysis.- c) Seminal Vesicular Fluid.- 3. Proteins and Antigens of the Female Reproductive Tract.- a) Uterine Fluid.- b) Tubal and Oviductal Fluids.- c) Cervical Mucus.- d) Maternal-Fetal Interactions.- 6 The Eye.- 1. Antigens of the Lens.- 2. Antigens of the Cornea.- 3. Antigens of the Uvea.- 4. Other Antigens of the Eye.- 7 The Kidney.- 1. The Experimental Production of Nephritis by Antiserum-Masugi Nephritis.- 2. The Antigens of the Glomerulus; the Nephrotoxic Antigens.- 3. The Antigens of the Tubule.- 4. The Formation of Autoantibodies Against Kidney Antigens.- a) Early Studies.- b) Isoimmunization in Rabbits and Rats by the Use of Streptococcal Adjuvants.- c) Isoimmunization in Rats by the Use of Freund's Adjuvant.- d) Isoimmunization in Rabbits and Guinea Pigs by the Use of Freund's Adjuvants.- 5. Experimental Glomerulonephritis.- a) Nephrotoxic Serum Nephritis.- b) Immune-Complex Nephritis.- c) Nephritis Following Injection of Kidney Components.- 6. Human Glomerulonephritis.- a) Antibodies to Kidney Antigens.- b) Streptococcal Antigens.- 8 Mechanisms of Immunopathology.- References.