Researchers Identify A Gene Essential For The Natural Killer Cell Response Against Cancer (October 21, 2002) -- Scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have identified a gene called MEF that is essential to the development of Natural Killer cells and Natural Killer T-cells, which play a vital role ... > full story

New Role For Immune System Player May Help Improve Cancer Vaccines (November 1, 2002) -- Researchers have discovered that a molecule best known for its anti-microbial properties also has the ability to activate key cells in the immune response. This newly discovered function, reported in ... > full story

UBC Researcher Discovers 'Control Room' That Regulates Immune Responses (October 23, 2003) -- The approximately 50 million people in the U.S. who suffer from autoimmune diseases like HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis, may soon be able to control their immune responses, thanks to a ... > full story

Researchers Identify A Key "Brake" Of The Immune Response (February 5, 2002) -- Scientists at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and elsewhere report they have identified a key pair of molecules, called ILT3 and ILT4, that could help clinicians precisely ... > full story

Langerhans Cells Regulate Immune Reactions In The Skin (December 20, 2005) -- Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have demonstrated that Langerhans cells in the skin, which had been thought to alert the immune system to pathogens, instead dampen the skin's reaction to ... > full story

Immune Substances May Help Antibody-based Drugs Fight Cancer (January 6, 2006) -- A new study suggests that antibody-based cancer drugs might help patients more if they are given with substances that stimulate the immune system. This new study is the first to indicate that the ... > full story

New Approach To Replacing Immune Cells Shrink Tumors In Patients With Melanoma (September 20, 2002) -- A new approach to cancer treatment that replaces a patient's immune system with cancer-fighting cells can lead to tumor shrinkage, researchers report today in the journal Science. The study ... > full story

Hybrid Antibody Created At National Jewish Medical And Research Center 'Turns Off' CD4 T Cells Responsible For Organ Transplant Rejection (February 26, 1998) -- Organ transplant rejection caused by CD4 T cells could be stopped in the future using a new hybrid antibody developed at National Jewish Medical and Research Center. ... > full story

Hopkins Study Shows New Target For Boosting The Immune System To Improve Cancer Vaccines (July 2, 1999) -- Cancer scientists at the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center have figured out a way to keep the body's cancer-fighting immune cells awake and responsive to tumor cells far longer than they normally ... > full story

Key To Stem Cell Transplant Success Is Tricking Immune System (September 11, 2005) -- Tricking the bodys immune system into ignoring stem cells will be the key to successful stem cell transplants, according to Professor Maggie Dallman, Imperial College London, speaking at the BA ... > full story

UNM Health Sciences Center Researchers Develop Method To Stimulate Immune System Response Against Cancer And Infectious Diseases (March 13, 1998) -- Researchers at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center have developed a one-step method to create patient-specific vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases. These "customized" ... > full story

Immune system -- The immune system is the system of specialized cells and organs that protect an organism from outside biological influences. (Though in a broad sense, almost every organ has a protective function - ... > full article

Natural killer cell -- Natural killer cells (also known as NK cells, K cells, and killer cells) are a type of lymphocyte (a white blood cell) and a component of innate immune system. NK cells play a major role in the ... > full article

Heat shock protein -- Heat shock proteins (HSP) are a group of proteins the expression of which is increased when the cells are exposed to elevated ... > full article

Transplant rejection -- Transplant rejection occurs when the immune system of the recipient of an transplant attacks the transplanted organ or tissue. This is because a normal healthy human immune system can distinguish ... > full article

T cell -- T cells are a subset of lymphocytes that play a large role in the immune response. The abbreviation "T" stands for thymus, the organ in which their final stage of development occurs. Every effective ... > full article

White blood cell -- White blood cells (also called leukocytes or immune cells) are cells which form a component of the blood. They help to defend the body against infectious disease and foreign materials as part of the ... > full article

Human physiology -- Human physiology is the science of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of normal humans or human tissues or organs. The principal level of focus of physiology is at the level of ... > full article

Inflammation -- Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation and may be referred to as the innate cascade. Inflammation is characterised by the following quintet: redness ... > full article

Antiviral drug -- Antiviral drugs are a class of medication used specifically for treating viral infections. Like antibiotics, specific antivirals are used for specific viruses. Antiviral drugs are one class of ... > full article

Lymphatic system -- Lymph originates as blood plasma lost from the circulatory system, which leaks out into the surrounding tissues. The lymphatic system collects this fluid by diffusion into lymph capillaries, and ... > full article