Abstract

Genetic Control of Immune Responsiveness: Relationship to Disease Susceptibility documents the proceedings of an international conference held at Brook Lodge, Augusta, Michigan, May 8-10, 1972. It brings together the detailed experimental evidence on the mechanism of action of specific immune response genes, and shows how the two major classes of immune response genes affect our understanding of basic immunology and antibody formation on the one hand, and of host factors determining disease susceptibility on the other.
The book is organized into seven parts that correspond to the seven sessions of the conference. Part I presents a session on how the study of the genetic control of immune responses in guinea pigs and mice has contributed to the development of T cell immunology. Part II presents a session on genetic fine structure of the major (H-2) histocompatibility complex in the mouse. Part III presents a session dealing with the association between the production of homogeneous antibody, or of idiotypic antibody, and immunoglobulin allotypes. Part IV presents a session on the relationship between histocompatibility-linked and allotype-linked immune response genes and antigen-specific receptors on T and B cells. Part V presents a session on animal models of multigenic control of susceptibility to disease. Part VI presents a session on the associations between HL-A type and specific disease entities. Finally, Part VII provides a commentary on the ideas and concepts emerging from the three days of free-ranging discussion.