Includes bibliographical references (pages 267-273) and index.

Introduction to the immune system : nomenclature, general properties, and components -- Innate immunity : the early defense against infections -- Antigen capture and presentation to lymphocytes : what lymphocytes see -- Antigen recognition in the adaptive immune system : structure of lymphocyte antigen receptors and development of immune repertoires -- T cell-mediated immunity : activation of t lymphocytes by cell-associated antigens -- Effector mechanisms of t cell-mediated immunity : functions of t cells in host defense -- Humoral immune responses : activation of b lymphocytes and production of antibodies -- Effector mechanisms of humoral immunity : elimination of extracellular microbes and toxins -- Immunological tolerance and autoimmunity : self-nonself discrimination in the immune system and its failure -- Immune responses against tumors and transplants : immunity to noninfectious transformed and foreign cells -- Hypersensitivity : disorders caused by immune responses -- Congenital and acquired immunodeficiencies : diseases caused by defective immunity.