Animal Models Of T Cell Mediated Skin Diseases

Pharmaceutical companies are spending increasing amounts of money on drug discovery and development. Nevertheless, attrition rates in clinical development are still very high, and up to 90% of new compounds fail in clinical phase I - III trials, which is partially due to lack of clinical efficacy. This indicates a strong need for highly predictive in vitro and in vivo models. The "50th International Workshop of the Ernst Schering Research Foundation" focussed on "Animal Models of T Cell-Mediated Skin Diseases". Such animal models should have impact not only on inflammatory dermatoses but also on other inflammatory disorders due to their model character. The current volume summarises recent advances in animal research that are important for anti-inflammatory drug discovery.

Progress in understanding skin diseases has been aided enormously by the use of tissues derived from animals, by studying normal processes in animals, and by the development of animal models. The cellular activities in animals and humans are remarkably similar and the actual pathological process of an inflammatory skin disease can only be accurately observed and analyzed in a living animal model, and not in any in vitro model system. These factors have led to the regular use of animal tissues and models to allow the disease processes to be studied at a much greater depth. Animal Models of Human Inflammatory Skin Diseases features the principles and practices of how to go about studying inflammatory skin diseases using live animal models. On the principle side, the book describes the comparative structure and function of the skin, and the comparative immunology system in animal species commonly used as models. From the practical perspective, it presents a general discussion on methods of experimental animal modeling and contains specific expert experience on individual models. The authors include a detailed method of disease induction for each model, present chapters on comparative histology and immunology, and discuss potential targets of disease intervention. Written by biomedical investigators with first-hand experience in their chosen fields, this book is a valuable guide and reference for investigators in the biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences. It provides an instantaneous comparison between the skin structure and immunology of humans and animals, aiding in the interpretation and application of pathologic and immunologic findings.

Handbook of Mouse Mutations with Skin and Hair Abnormalities presents 48 mouse mutations that are all available to the biomedical community. Many of the mouse mutations with dermatological diseases are reviewed and illustrated in detail. This popular reference book gives you a single source to use when determining which mouse mutation will best serve your needs as a biomedical tool for sophisticated research projects. The book also includes an overview of domestic animal genodermatoses to provide alternatives to mouse models that do not exist or to complement those that do. A detailed section written by renowned experts compares the biology of human and mouse skin and skin diseases in the areas of development and the use of animal models, mammalian genetics, keratin biochemistry, epidermal and hair follicle cycles and kinetics, cytokines and growth factors, keratinocyte culture systems, cutaneous carcinogenesis, cutaneous immune system, and skin changes associated with mutations of the endocrine system.

Recent progress in the fields of pharmacology and immunology has provided us with new possibilities for treating dermatological diseases. This book reviews the most important immunosuppressive and immunostimulatory drugs and gives helpful, practical information on the treatment of various dermatoses, including autoimmundiseases, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, vasculitis, contact dermatitis, pyoderma gangrenosum, infectious diseases, and neoplasms of the skin - in particular, malignant melanoma.

The Janeway's Immunobiology CD-ROM, Immunobiology Interactive, is included with each book, and can be purchased separately. It contains animations and videos with voiceover narration, as well as the figures from the text for presentation purposes.

This book shows how the structural similarity of MIRRs determines the general principles underlying MIRR-mediated transmembrane signaling mechanisms. In so doing, it provides the basis for existing and future therapeutic strategies targeting MIRRs.

Are environmental pollutants threatening the human immune system? Researchers are rapidly approaching definitive answers to this question, with the aid of biologic markersâ€"sophisticated assessment tools that could revolutionize detection and prevention of certain diseases. This volume, third in a series on biologic markers, focuses on the human immune system and its response to environmental toxicants. The authoring committee provides direction for continuing development of biologic markers, with strategies for applying markers to immunotoxicology in humans and recommended outlines for clinical and field studies. This comprehensive, up-to-date volume will be invaluable to specialists in toxicology and immunology and to biologists and investigators involved in the development of biologic markers.