Abstract

This book provides comprehensive up-to-date information on the structure and function of immunoglobulins. It describes the basic features of these molecules, which assists the reader in understanding how they function as an integral part of the immune system. The Immunoglobulins describes the localization and structure of different binding sites of immunoglobulin molecules, including the antigen-binding site, on the basis of latest x-ray crystallography studies. It discusses recently developed biotechnological methods that allow scientists to obtain fully active antibody molecules in vitro even without immunization and to construct new variants of immunoglobulins and their fragments by fusing with various other active molecules. A survey of recent knowledge on immunoglobulin-binding molecules other than antigens and on flexibility of immunoglobulin molecules concludes the discussion of functional aspects of the problem.

• Describes recent reviews on the structure and function of immunoglobulin molecules of various species
• Summarizes in detail recent findings on the fine structure of the antigen-combining site
• Presents comparative data on the antigen-recognizing sites of other molecules such as MHC proteins and T-cell receptors
• Summarizes growing data on immunoglobulin binding sites responsible for the reaction of immunoglobulins with molecules other than antigens
• Explores the rapid advance of recent biotechnological methods used for the construction of antibody molecules and their fragments with new properties
• Presents extensive references and is lavishly illustrated

"This is a fairly concise, but remarkably complete and up-to-date treatise on the immunoglobulins... excellent and thorough monograph on the immunoglobulins and a number of other specific receptor and ligand systems. The work is highly recommended to immunologists and molecular biologists." --IMMUNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS

"It is highly recommended to all immunologists. The book has rather extraordinary figures, including a section of color plates of computer generated immunoglobulin, antigen binding images, and x-ray structural analysis... This is a very timely monograph that has everything the non-Ig immunologist needs to know, and much more." --DOODY'S PUBLISHING REVIEWS

"...provides good and informative reviews of many aspects of antibody research...the book provides many very good discussions, and provides just the right amount of detail about, for example, antibody-related molecules (e.g. T-cell receptors, MHC molecules and Fc receptors)and molecules that interact with antibodies...useful starting point for those wishing to make themselves familiar with the different aspects of antibody research...it is certainly recommendable." -Lutz Riechmann, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, in TIBS (1999)