Introduction to the immune system
Glossary,
General properties, components: innate and adaptive immunity, cellular and humoral immunity cytokines and cytokine receptors; chemokines and chemokine receptors
Primary and secondary immune responses
Hints of hematopoiesis: ontogeny of immune cells
Primary and secondary lymphoid organs
Anatomy and Functions
Leukocyte circulation and migration
Lymphocytes homing
Tissue recruitment of leukocytes
Adhesion molecules
Innate immunity and Inflammation
Antigens of innate immunity: Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs) and Danger Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs)
Receptors of the innate immune response: Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRR)
Soluble receptors (complement, collectins, pentraxins)
Cytoplasmic receptors (NOD, RIG, TLR)
Membrane receptors (LCR, TLR)
Cells of the innate immunity and inflammatory cells
Monocytes/macrophages (M1/M2)
Dendritic cells (DC)
Polymorphonuclear granulocytes (neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils); mast cells
Phagocytes and phagocytosis: oxygen-independent and –dependent cytotoxic pathways
Innate Lymphoid Cells (ILC)
The inflammatory response and Cytokines of innate immunity and inflammatory cytokines; cytokines associated with “type 1" and "type 2” immune responses
Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC): HLA; class I and II
Genes;
Molecular structure of gene products, cell expression and functions
Antigen processing and presentation to T cells
Antigen Presenting Cells (APC): origin and functions
Dendritic cells (DCs): immature and mature; receptors and cytokine production
Adaptive Immunity:
Specificity and memory
Naïve, effector and memory lymphocytes
Primary and secondary response
Antigen (Ag) od specific immunity:
Molecular bases of antigenicity; hapten, carrier and antigenic determinant;
immunogenic antigen and factors that determine the immunogenicity
B Cell Receptor (BCR) and T Cell Receptor (TCR)
Genes
Molecular structure of their products
T lymphocyte activation
The TCR/CD3 complex, CD4 and CD8 co-receptors and accessory molecules
Costimulatory and cohinibitory molecules: ligands and receptors
Signal transduction pathways
Helper T Cell (TH1, TH2, TH17); natural and inducible regulatory T cells (Treg)
Polarization and functions
Cytokines of adaptive immunity, receptors and transduction pathways; cytokines associated with “type 1" and "type 2” immune responses
Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes (CTL)
Differentiation
Activation
Cytotoxic mechanisms; apoptosis mechanisms
B lymphocyte activation
BCR and Co-receptors
Signal transduction
antibody response
Antibodies (Abs) or immunoglobulins (Igs)
Structure, Classes and Functions
Fc Receptors (FcRs)
T and B cell development and maturation
Positive and negative selection
Central and peripheral tolerance
Antigen receptor gene rearrangement
Complement:
Structure and Functions
Activation pathways (classical, lectin and alternative) and complement regulation
Complement Receptors (CR)
Natural Killer (NK) cells:
development and maturation,
antigen receptors,
activation and signal transduction pathways
cytotoxic and regulatory functions

- Cellular and Molecular Immunology
Abbas A.K., Lichtman A. H., Pillai S.
Ed. Elsevier Masson, 9e, 2018.

- The immune system
Parham P.
Ed. EdiSES, 2e, 2017.

-Immunobiology
Janeway C.A., Murphy K., Travers P., Walport M..
Ed. Piccin, 8e, 2014.

Primer to the immune response
Mak T., Saunders M. .
Ed. Zanichelli, 2012.