With this book we· want to address young graduate students, clini cians involved in transplantation, and technicians in transplantation immunology laboratories. The volume should give a comprehensive but basic, up to date introduction to the structure, function, and clinical importance of the HLA system. We believe that there is a need for such a survey, and think that the present level of our knowledge is an optimal occasion for publication. A significant number of ques tions have now been resolved, and our knowledge has reached a level of sophistication that provides the basis for additional questions and answers. Although the emphasis of this book is on the role of HLA anti gens in clinical transplantation, their involvement in other clinical contexts is also discussed. The main focus is on the human MHC an tigenic system, but MHC systems in other species are described as they contribute to our understanding of the structural and functional characteristics of HLA antigens. Some important issues related to laboratory techniques are also covered. The contributors have a close affiliation to the field of transplan tation immunology. A majority have even been playing important roles in unraveling the HLA system and its functions. We believe this has contributed significantly to the quality and clinical and practical relevance of the book. As editors, we drew up the principal guidelines and took care that the chapters can be read as separate entities, although this invariably results in some overlapping.

The Life and Times of the Human Major Histocompatibility Complex

Origins of Mhc Diversity
Genetics, Chemistry and Expression
MHC Genes
Class I and Class II HLA Proteins and Genes: An Overview of Structure, Polymorphism, and Expression
Assembly and Intracellular Transport of MHC Molecules
Regulation and Deregulation of HLA Class II Genes
Minor Transplantation Antigens
Biological Function of MHC Molecules
Biological Function of HLA Molecules
MHC Molecules in Thymic Development and Selection of the T Cell Repertoire
The Molecular Mechanisms of HLA Associated Autoimmunity
The Capacity of Class I MHC Molecules to Function as Signal Transduction Elements
The Major Histocompatibility Complex and Cell Physiology
MHC Control of Growth and Metastatic Properties of Tumor Cells
Allorecognition of HLA Molecules
HLA Molecules in Allorecognition: T Cell Recognition and Typing Methods
B Cell Recognition and HLA Typing: Current Methods and Future Possibilities. Role of Alloantibodies and Monoclonal Antibodies as Reagents
HLA Antibodies, Non-HLA Antibodies, and Crossmatch Methods
Transplantation of the Alloimmunized Patient
HLA-Matching
HLA Matching in Clinical Organ Transplantation
Transplantation Tolerance and Noninherited Maternal HLA Antigens
What To Do with the Immunized Patient. How to Avoid Humoral Immunization
Immunosuppression
Immunosuppressive Therapy
Selective Depletion of Alloreactive Cells in Transplantation
Immunological Considerations on the Use of Monoclonal Antibodies for In Vitro and In Vivo Modification of Alloimmunity
Anti-idiotypic Antibodies in the HLA System
Rejection
Cellular and Molecular Mechanism of Rejection and Role of Viral Infection
Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy in Rejection Diagnosis
Bone Marrow Transplantation
Bone Marrow Transplantation Using Related Donors
Marrow Transplantation from Unrelated Donors
Purging of Bone Marrow
Xenografting
Xenografting: Is It Feasible?
Malignancy after Transplantation
Tumors in Transplanted Patients
Addendum
Nomenclature for the Major Histocompatibility Complexes of Different Species: A Proposal
Revised Nomenclature of Mouse H-2 Genes.