MHC Volume 1: A Practical Approach (Practical Approach Series)

The major histocompatibility complex is the subject of much research in the immunology field. There is a great deal of interest in MHC proteins and their function as antigen presenting molecules, and many immunology laboratories are investigating biochemical and genetic techniques to study these molecules. The identification of peptide transporter genes and the elution of peptides from MHC molecules illustrate how rapidly our understanding of the MHC locus has advanced. This volume brings together the technologies which make these advances possible. It explains in detail the process such as peptide translocation into the ER, the application of mass spectrometry to the analysis of peptides bound to MHC, and signal detection via MHC class II molecules, which lead to either activation or cell death. The book is a comprehensive and thorough guide to the field of MHC research that graduates, post doctoral researchers, and academic staff and clinicians will find invaluable.