2. The immune response: its functions and properties.
3. Positive and negative immune reactivity.
4. Lymphocyte activating substances.
5. Cellular receptors and cellular antigens.
6. The antibody molecule.
7. Organs and cells of the immune system.
8. How immunocomptent cells work.
9. Mechanisms of action of the cells of the T lineage.
10. Mechanisms of action of the cells of the B lineage.
11. Neonatal immunity.
12. The complement and other activation systems.
13. Immunity to infectious diseases.
14. Vaccination.
15. Tumor immunology.
16. Transplantation immunology.
17. Hypersensitivity reactions.
18. Autoimmunity.
19. Immunodeficiencies in domestic animals.
Laboratory.
The main purpose of the laboratory exercises is to expose the students, however superficially, to the methodology used in immunology laboratories. A degree of familiarity with immunologic methods should help the student understand the material presented in the lectures. Thus, the laboratory exercises should be regarded as a complement to the lectures.
Basically, the immunologist asks two types of questions: (1) Has an animal responded or is it capable of responding immunologically? Is its immune system functionally intact? (2) What is the magnitude of the response?
By choosing the appropriate type of immunologic assay and by varying the experimental conditions, answers can be obtained that are relevant to a variety of problems, both of research and clinical nature.
The exercises have been designed so as to provide examples of methods relevant to: (1) the status of the immune system, (2) humoral and cell mediated immunity, (3) the hypersensitivity reactions, (4) the diagnosis of infectious diseases.
I hope that they will give the students an appreciation of the versatility and potential of immunologic methods.
1. Bleeding of dog; discussion of blood components; vaccination of dog.
2. Enumeration of white blood cells; description of hemocytometer; differential smears/discussion and slides; demonstration of separation of bovine peripheral blood lymphocytes on lymphocyte separation medium (LSM).
3. Primary serum sample from dog.
4. Indirect immunofluorescence; direct immunofluorescence.
5. Precipitation reaction in tube; precipitation reaction in gel; bovine leukosis diagnosis; equine infectious anemia diagnosis; immunodiffusion (PLATO).
6. Discussion of gel double diffusion results; concept of serum titer; agglutination.
7. Evaluation of Ig levels by zinc sulfate turbidity, refractometer, radial immunodiffusion (RID); assignment: read paper entitled "Field determination of the immune status of the newborn foal".
9. Enumeration of splenic T cells using antibody-mediated, complement-dependent cytotoxicity; delayed hypersensitivy (DTH) reaction: theory and diagnostic application (PPD reaction in guinea pigs); arrange for secondary immunization of dogs, if needed.
