Only 40 years ago, the first textbook on autoimmunity was published, and at that time many scientists and clinicians were unconvinced that a process such as autoimmunity even existed. Today, the field is exploding with advances in our understanding of the major histocompatibility complexes, the production of monoclonal antibodies and the resulting identification of distinct cell phenotypes and demonstration of accessory and secondary molecules and messengers, including complement, cytokines, chemokines, and the cognate receptors, to name a few.

Both novel scientific (basic immunology) and clinical aspects of autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases are presented in this volume and in Volume 1051 (Autoimmune Disease and Treatment: Organ-Specific and Systemic Disorders) in papers written by the world's leading autoimmunologists.

Topics covered in this volumes include etiology and pathogenesis, genetics, mechanisms, tolerance, diagnostics, the role of hormones, infection, animal models, individual autoimmune diseases, therapy, and the art and science of predicting autoimmunity.

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