Modern Genetics, Ancient Defenses, and Potential Therapies

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Abstract
Autoimmunity is the reflection of a basic problem confronting all living organisms — how to defend against foreign invasion while maintaining control of the defending forces. The B-cell and T-cell branches of the immune system can exhibit remarkable specificity for invading microorganisms, can adapt to changing threats, and can provide for long-term immunologic memory. At the same time, autoreactivity of B cells and T cells is present in all normal persons, and a complex set of regulatory mechanisms is required to prevent overt destruction of tissue through autoimmunity. Our current understanding of autoimmunity rests on our knowledge of the immune . . .