Clinical Laboratory Immunology
Immunology as a science of study has expanded exponentially during the past several decades. Utilization of immunologic procedures across disciplines in the health sciences has also increased, permeating its applications from detecting agents of infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders to blood abnormalities, genetic disorders, and organ transplantation. Recent developments in technology also include applications of molecular methods in a variety of diagnostic procedures. Students in clinical laboratory sciences therefore must acquire a clear understanding of the principles of immunology and the human immune response to be able to ascertain its applications to laboratory methods and practice.With this requirement in mind,Clinical Laboratory Immunologyintends to provide the student with a strong foundation of the basic principles of immunity and the human immune system. To complement the basic concepts, clinical applications are emphasized, demonstrating interdisciplinary relationships in laboratory medicine. We use a building-block type of approach in presenting the concepts, allowing the students to feel comfortable with the background information that they will later apply. Why do we feel that this approach is important in presenting the information to students of immunology?We find immunology, as a scientific discipline, difficult to introduce to new learners and for new learners to study because of several reasons. One is due to the amount of detailed and complicated information available that tends to overwhelm new learners. Trying to assimilate and understand information that constantly evolves as we learn more about human immune diseases and their treatment also tends to be strenuous. Another factor, perhaps just as an important, is that the immune system is a complicated network involving several different organ systems, such as athletes on a sports team, interacting with one another. New learners find it hard to ascertain the relationships among the "players" in the network, unless a practical approach is used to present the known facts and basic principles. It is, therefore, our intent to provide learners with the basic foundation, concepts and principles of immunology necessary to understand their applications in clinical laboratory science.Clinical Laboratory Immunologyis divided in three parts. Part I includes chapters that describe the general concepts of immunology, types of immunity, and immune responses. Chapter 1 introduces the learner to the discipline of immunology from a historical perspective. It shows the learner not only how immunology continues to evolve and expand in its clinical applications, but also how concepts interact with one another. An overview of immunity, describing the different immune defenses and the role they play in defending the human host, is presented in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 presents the structure and functions of immunoglobulins, while Chapter 5 describes the complement system. In Chapter 4, the learner finds an overview of infection and immunity; the discussion of host-parasite relationships is unique in an immunology textbook. Nevertheless, this chapter provides an impression of how the human host reacts to one of its most common foreign invaders, microorganisms.Part II presents chapters that discuss principles and procedures involved in the clinical and laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases (Chapter 7), autoimmune diseases, and other immune disorders. The consequences of "over-reaction" of the immune system expressed as hypersensitivities are presented in Chapter 6; while Chapter 8 covers autoimmune and immune deficiency disorders. We include in Part II chapters in transplantation immunology (Chapter 9), tumor immunology (Chapter 10), and clinical applications of flow cytometry (Chapter 11).The most outstanding feature of this textbook is the inclusion of molecular diagnostic technology and the multidisciplinary clinical applications of this technology in Part III. We anticipate that within the next several years, clinical laboratory science practitioners will be expected to have had certain, if at least limited, exposure or experience in this technology. Hence, we incorporate chapters that explore the most current applications of molecular methods. Part III begins with a chapter in the principles of hybridization techniques (Chapter 12), followed by the chapter in amplification technology (Chapter 13). Applications of molecular technology in cytogenetics are described in Chapter 14, and last, in organ transplantation in Chapter 15.To show the clinical relevance of the content material, each chapter is introduced with a case scenario called Case in Point. This introductory case represents a disease, concept, or principle that is discussed in the chapter text, illustrating the concept or principle through the discussion of the Case in Point. Issues to consider are points that the learner should be thinking about while reading the chapter, using the Case in Point as place to start. We provide important terms, chapter checklists, points to remember, and learning assessment questions that will hopefully help learners achieve the key learning elements.An instructional package is also offered to accompany Clinical Laboratory Immunology. The Instructor’s Resource Manual contains a wealth of material to help faculty plan and manage the immunology course. It contains chapter outlines, teaching tips, learning objectives and more for each chapter. The Instructor’s Resource CD-ROM provides many resources in an electronic format. First, the CD-ROM contains the complete test bank, which allows instructors to create customized exams and quizzes. Second, it includes a lecture package in PowerPoint format. The lectures contain discussion points and embedded images from the textbook to help infuse an extra spark into the classroom experience. Instructors may use this presentation system as it is provided or they may opt to customize it for their specific needs.Because this textbook is not at all inclusive and is written mainly to provide the learner with a basic but strong foundation of a difficult subject matter, we encourage learners and facilitators to further their experience with additional readings from recommended reference materials. With the attainment of a clear understanding of the basic principles of clinical immunology, we hope that we are able to stimulate the scientific curiosity among learners as much as we, the editors, find this experience rewarding.Connie R. MahonDiane Tice