Fundamentals of Immunology: Inflammation, Tolerance, Autoimmunity

Course Overview

Course 3 of a four-course specialization called Fundamentals of Immunology. Each course in the specialization presents material that builds on the previous course's material. This is the third leg of the journey through the defenses your body uses to keep you healthy. We learned about innate immunity and B cell function in the first course. In the second course, we studied T cell function and coordination of the immune response. Fundamentals of Immunology: Inflammation, Tolerance, and Autoimmunity introduces students to the basic functions of the adaptive and innate immune systems. The early lectures survey cells, tissues, and organs using metaphors, cartoons, and models to improve understanding and retention. After describing the form, function, origin, and varieties of antibodies, subsequent lectures provide details on the mechanism of the generation of variation. The course provides animations of gene rearrangement and class switching and descriptions of affinity maturation correlated with detailed physical models of antibody structure. The final lecture reviews these concepts in an anatomical context. Testing employs multiple choice questions testing facts, concepts, and application of principles. Questions may refer to diagrams, drawings, and photographs used in the lecture and reproduced in the outline. What You’ll Learn: A survey of immune cells and how they attack pathogens, emphasizing the mechanism of inducing apoptosis and details of Antibody Directed Cell-mediated Cytotoxicity. The inflammatory response and mechanisms of generating tolerance are presented sequentially to emphasize the decision-making in controlling attacks. A survey of autoimmune disease, its characteristics, cause, and treatment. Survey of hypersensitivity reactions, including allergy, anaphylaxis, anemias, granulomas, and various skin responses. This is accompanied by identification, prevention, and treatment. The final discussion of preventing transplant rejection is preceded by a detailed unit on antibody technology and the testing methods for incompatibility.