Basic and Clinical Immunology

When this book first appeared in 1976, the editors stated in the preface their intent to offer new editions biennially. They have done so, and done so very well. The new edition is the result of the most extensive revision yet. There are now three sections instead of the previous four. The first section, "Basic Immunology," now includes also what had been a separate second section in previous editions, "Immunobiology." The last two sections, "Immunologic Laboratory Tests" and "Clinical Immunology," are the same as before. Most of the major changes are found in the first section. New chapters have been added, "The Gene Organization and Assembly of Immunoglobulins," "Chemotaxis and Effector Functions of Macrophages and Granulocytes," and "Reproductive Immunology." The chapters on immune mechanisms in tissue damage and on the effect of sex hormones, nutrition, and aging on the immune response have been substantially expanded in scope from previous editions.