POI-302 Principles of Immunology-

Immune Response- an overview, components of mammalian immune system, molecular structure of Immunoglobulins or Antibodies, Humoral & Cellular immune responses, T-lymphocytes & immune response (cytotoxic T-cell, helper T-cell, suppressor T-cells), T-cell receptors, genome rearrangements during B-lymphocyte differentiation, Antibody affinity maturation class switching, assembly of T-cell receptor genes by somatic recombination.

Regulation of immunoglobulin gene expression- clonal selection theory, allotypes & idiotypes, allelic exclusion, immunologic memory, heavy chain gene transcription, genetic basis of antibody diversity, hypotheses (germ line & somatic mutation), antibody diversity, alternate pathways of transcript splicing, variable joining sites & somatic mutation, role of antibody (alone, in complement activation & with effector cells), monoclonal antibodies.

Major Histocompatibility complexes- class I & class II MHC antigens, antigen processing.

Immunity to infection- immunity to different organisms, pathogen defense strategies, avoidance of recognition, inactivation of host-immune effector mechanisms.

Immuno-techniques- Blood grouping, Antigen-Antibody reactions: agglutination, precipitation, immuno-electrophoresis, Coomb’s test, ELISA, RIA.

Vaccines & Vaccination– adjuvants, cytokines, DNA vaccines, recombinant vaccines, bacterial vaccines, viral vaccines, vaccines to other infectious agents, tumor vaccines, principles of vaccination, passive & active immunization, immunization programs & role of WHO in immunization programs.

Auto-immune diseases- autoimmunity & auto-immune diseases, factors contributing development of auto-immune diseases, mechanism of development, breakdown of self-tolerance, rejection of transplants, molecular mimicry, diagnosis & treatment of auto-immune diseases, replacement therapy, suppression of autoimmune processes, nature of auto-antigens, immunodeficiency, AIDS.

Immune Response of Plants.