Since the publication of the first edition of the Handbook of Human Immunology in 1997, major scientific achievements have directly contributed to an increased understanding of the complexities of the human immune system in health and disease. Whether as a result of the sequencing of the entire human genome, or of technological advancements, several new components of the immune system have been revealed, along with new technologies for their measurement and evaluation.

Major breakthroughs in the field include an increase in the number of recognized "clusters of differentiation" on the surface of leukocytes and associated cells, the establishment of a chemokine and chemokine receptor nomenclature system, the discovery of more than 30 lymphokines, and humanized monoclonal antibody therapy as a staple of pharmacologic armamentarium

Modeling the previous edition, the text begins with an overview of the immune system, focusing on the role of cell receptors, accessory molecules, and cytokines in immune responses and immunological disorders. It then presents a practical, easy-to-read chapter on "statistics in immunological testing"—an invaluable asset for interpreting test results, validating new tests, and developing reference ranges. Simultaneously, the text emphasizes clinically relevant immunological parameters and clarifies the basic principles underlying immune system assays, and applications and interpretations of immune tests.

A complete guide to molecular and cellular immunology for practicing clinicians, clinical laboratory professionals, and students, this resource combines basic explanations of laboratory tests with more than 100 tables full of references, and up-to-date information on new developments in immunogenetics.