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The explosion of knowledge in the field of immunology is, as the authors state, overwhelming, as attested by the list of 305 references after the introductory chapter on general considerations. For the ophthalmologist who has neither the time nor inclination to keep up with basic immunology, the authors outline the basic principles and recent advances.
The body has clones of immunogenic cells predetermined to respond to as many as 107 antigens. Immunoglobulin (Ig) antibody is a γ-globulin that consists of amino acids with heavy and light chains linked by disulfide bonds that consist of two fragments, eg, fragment antibody binding (Fab) and fragment crystalline (Fc). The latter determines the specificity and combines with complement, skin, mast cells, macrophages, and staphylococcal antigen.
The resting B lymphocytes (from bone marrow) have surface Igs with specific Fab sites that are stereospecific to bind the specific antigen (usually protein or sometimes polysaccharides but