Intensive educational course in allergy and immunology

Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening hypersensitivity reaction mediated by Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. When IgE binds to allergens, it triggers the release of mediators– histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins from mast cells and basophils. These mediators cause vasodilation, edema, and inflammation, leading to various symptoms.The primary allergens causing anaphylaxis include food items (e.g., peanuts, shellfish), drugs (e.g., penicillin, asparaginase, corticotropin, heparin),...

Overview

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by variable airflow obstruction and heightened bronchial responsiveness to a wide range of triggers. The underlying inflammation leads to airway swelling, mucus hypersecretion, and smooth muscle constriction, all of which narrow the airway lumen and impede airflow. Clinically, asthma presents with recurrent episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing, symptoms that typically vary in intensity and...

Overview
Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins (Ig), are essential players of the adaptive immune system. These antigen-binding proteins are produced by B cells and make up 20 percent of the total blood plasma by weight. In mammals, antibodies fall into five different classes, which each elicits a different biological response upon antigen binding.
The Y-Shaped Structure of Antibodies Consists of Four Polypeptide Chains
Antibodies consist of four polypeptide chains: two identical heavy...

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition for which new therapeutic avenues, including anti-inflammatory drugs like mast cell stabilizers and anti-IgE treatments, continue to be developed.
Mast cell stabilizers, such as cromolyn (also known as sodium cromoglycate) and nedocromil (Tilade), are effective drugs in asthma management. These stabilizers hinder histamine release by skillfully obstructing the activation of mast cells and other cellular entities. Notably, they navigate this task without...

Immunocytochemistry (ICC) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) are techniques that use antibodies to check for specific proteins or antigens in a sample. The technique was first published by Albert Coons in 1941 to detect the presence of pneumococcal antigen in tissue sections from mice infected with Pneumococcus. Immunocytochemistry helps localization of proteins or antigens in individual cells like blood cells, stem cells, etc., while immunohistochemistry does the same for tissue samples.
These...