Phagocyte-Pathogen Interactions: Macrophages and the Host Response to Infection

Featuring contributions from eminent immunologists, microbial geneticists, and cell and molecular biologists, this single volume brings together a current understanding of how phagocytes recognize and respond to potentially pathogenic microbes. It explores and explains the complex biology underlying the different phagocyte lineages that enables them to sense and respond to their environments.



Several chapters in this volume review the properties and functions of the phagosome itself, which are intimately linked to the diverse roles it fulfills in the mechanisms of phagocytosis and host response. Authors explore the link between innate immunity and acquired immunity, and the development of specific cellular and humoral immune responses. Finally, several chapters explore the latest developments in the use of a variety of models of host-pathogen interaction.



Drawing from such disciplines as cell and molecular biology, microbiology, and immunology, this book helps readers gain a new appreciation and understanding of the role of the complex interactions between the microbial pathogen and its host’s multifaceted defenders.



Key Features



· Provides a current understanding of the role of the phagocyte in host defense

· Details the range of professional phagocyte cell lineages, including macrophages, PMNs, and dendritic cells

· Outlines the functions of and challenges to the professional phagocyte

· Improves our understanding of the cellular basis of antimicrobial responses

· Integrates cell and molecular biology with immunological perspectives