
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) act as receptors for numerous stimuli of immune cells, including bacterial cell wall constituents (lipopolysaccharide [LPS] from Gram-negative bacteria and lipopeptides from Gram-positive species), plasma proteins and extracellular matrix breakdown products. TLR2 and TLR4 bind lipopeptide and LPS respectively, mediating responses of alveolar macrophages and other immune cells to bacterial infection in the lungs. Exposure of lungs to LPS leads to pro-inflammatory responses of a number of cell types, including airway smooth muscle, which secretes a number of cytokines involved in leucocyte recruitment and the Th2 polarization of immune responses. Human airway smooth muscle cells were cultured with LPS in the absence and presence of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to determine direct and leucocyte-dependent TLR-mediated responses. (more…)
One especially favored target for immune recognition is bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This macromolecule is found only in ...
Airway hyper-responsiveness in asthma may involve smooth muscle growth, a manifestation of airway remodelling. The involvement ...
Innate immunity depends on both resident and recruited leukocytes. The macrophage without doubt plays an import- ant role in the de ...
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter of the nerve vagus, the functional effects mediated by binding to muscarinic receptors. Results ...
Eosinophil infiltration of the mucosa is a feature of asthmatic airways. Their adhesion to bronchial epithelial cells has been ...

Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is a functional respiratory tract disorder resulting from paradoxical adduction of the vocal cords, complicates the diagnosis and management of common respiratory tract problems, including asthma. The recognition of VCD in a patient with atypical or difficult-to-control asthma is critical in minimizing symptoms and potential side-effects associated with treatment of severe asthma. The symptoms of VCD are not unique to the disorder and include cough, wheeze, stridor, dyspnea, hoarseness, and choking. (more…)
With the help of well-trained and experienced pulmonary function technicians, children as young as 4 to 5 years of age should b ...
Asthma is a frightening condition. I have lived with asthma symptoms for 17 years and the thought of an allergy induced asthma atta ...
In 2004, there were 2.4 million children aged 5 to 14 years, or 5.9% of this population group, with a self-reported asthma atta ...
A history of cough, dyspnea, wheezing, chest tightness or performance problems during exercise suggests the person may have Exercis ...
How to properly make clinical diagnosis of acute severe asthma? There is little doubt of the accuracy of current asthma testing ...

There are thousands of components to the immune system, and during the course of learning about some of these it can appear that the immune system is far more complex and complicated than necessary for achieving what is, on the surface, the simple task of eliminating an infectious organism. There are a number of reasons why the immune system is complex. The first of these is the desirability of eliminating pathogens without causing damage to the host. Getting rid of a pathogen is theoretically easy. If you had an infection in your liver you could produce a nasty toxin that would kill the pathogen; unfortunately it would also destroy your liver. Killing pathogens is not difficult, but getting rid of pathogens without damaging the host is much more complicated. (more…)
The final stage of the disease process (although it may not be the final stage of the infection) is the actual production of di ...
Most initial infections are local, i.e. the infectious agent gains entry to the body at a single site, e.g. via an insect bite ...
The body's innate resistance to many pathogens is provided by enzymes and other proteins in the blood and tissue fluids. These ...
The way in which pathogens spread through the body is influenced to some extent by whether they live intra-cellularly, extra-ce ...
There are several pathogen types that can cause disease include many groups of single-celled microorganisms and larger multicel ...
Spring has finally arrived. With it comes many form of spring allergies. I am a victim of the year along of and spring allergies. First, look at the most boring story of all my problems with allergies: nasal congestion. When we heard the term nasal congestion and nasal allergen, you may not realize how annoying and painful it is. Of course I know all this because I suffered from this kind of nose allergies, that the condition can cause a stuffy nose. (more…)
As a person who suffered form allergies and have a profession as family physician, I have much sympathy for those struggling with i ...
Are you frustrated because sneezing a lot? The real problem may be right in your face under your nose, literally! Sinus infection o ...
Do you find yourself feeling miserable, coughing, or sneezing at about the same time each and every year? If you do, it is impo ...
Sinusitis is one inconvenience disease condition that many people had. Many drugs and antibiotics that are prescribed by your docto ...
After nasal allergen challenge, substance P and CGRP are released into nasal secretions of atopic patients . In allergic rhinit ...

Natural killer cells: history and current status
Natural killer cells are a major component of the immune system, which play important roles in host defense against cancer and microbial infections. Natural killer cells are distinct from T or B lymphocytes, with a characteristic morphology of large granular cells, and can be readily identified by characteristic cell surface molecules. (more…)
The body's innate resistance to many pathogens is provided by enzymes and other proteins in the blood and tissue fluids. These ...
Innate immunity depends on both resident and recruited leukocytes. The macrophage without doubt plays an import- ant role in the de ...
Some of the immediate sequelae of injury are uncomfortably familiar: Soon after an injury occurs, the affected site and its sur ...
Regulatory T cells Treg (picture above) is the existence of suppressor cells, which limit ongoing immune responses and prevent ...
Contact of pathogens with the innate immune system will most frequently occur at epithelia, and the biology of the airway epitheliu ...

A lot of people are unsure as to what eczema looks like They could be just guessing as to whether this is the problem that they may have.
Do not just try to diagnose yourself. Arrange an appointment with a dermatologist so that you will know for sure. It may be that you have something completely unrelated to eczema, (more…)
There are still many people that are giving consultation to others, suggest the wrong advice in the context of the treatment of bab ...
Young children suffering from eczema may have a greater risk than the rest of developing psychological problems, as indicated by th ...
Allergies are often thought to affect human lives only. Hundreds of people are suffering from allergies due to many unacceptable th ...
One of the popular allergy testing besides food allergy testing is skin allergy testing. Allergy patch test is the most commo ...
Asthma is a complex syndrome rather than a single disease entity. Different phenotypes with varying prognosis and determinants have ...
Bacteria cause allergic disease because of toxicity, invasiveness, immunopathology, or lends of these three mechanisms. Thus much of the interaction between a given bacterial species and the cellular immune response can be predicted by considering the immunological mechanisms available in relation to the mechanism of pathogenicity, and the structure of the bacterium. For a toxigenic bacterium, neutralizing antigen & antibody may be all that is needed. Otherwise destruction of the organism itself may be required. (more…)
One especially favored target for immune recognition is bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This macromolecule is found only in ...
Exotoxins are noxious proteins secreted by many bacteria. These toxins are often heat-labile and thus can be heat-inactivated f ...
Innate immune responses are seen in a very broad range of tissues. Indeed, the Toll-like receptors (TLRs, one of the most important ...
An especially elaborate and important type of innate antimicrobial enzymes defense is provided by a group of serum proteins tha ...
Once it is tethered onto the venule wall, the neutrophil or other leukocyte comes into contact with a wide variety of inflammatory ...
Children in the early of their life is prone to allergy because their body immune system is not developed completely. As a matter of fact, allergies in children are on of the most common chronic childhood disease (including childhood asthma). While it is true that there are still unclear causes of allergies, it’s believed that the complex interactions between genetics and the environment may lead to children allergies (allergic asthma children). There are times when your little effort can make a big difference as preventive actions to your kids. As parents you can follow this simple tips to trim down the possibility of your kids from developing allergy. (more…)
Hay fever affects millions of people around the world every year. And one of the most common and prolific triggers is grass pol ...
There are still many people that are giving consultation to others, suggest the wrong advice in the context of the treatment of bab ...
Allergic reactions is natural body’s response to “foreign substance” or “invader” that potentially harmful to your body. Once ...
Many people are under impression that allergy and asthma disease had genetic or heredity factors playing major role as medium o ...
Scleroderma is a disease related with body autoimmune, connective tissue disease. Scleroderma induces inflammation and thickeni ...
Allergic reactions is natural body’s response to “foreign substance” or “invader” that potentially harmful to your body. Once this object which is known as “antigen” entered your body, immune system will trigger some series actions to fight against infections. There are some common substances which are related as allergens: dust, pollen, mold, plants, chemicals, foods, insect, hymenoptera venoms, bacteria or viruses. (more…)
Children in the early of their life is prone to allergy because their body immune system is not developed completely. As a matter o ...
Hay fever affects millions of people around the world every year. And one of the most common and prolific triggers is grass pol ...
There are still many people that are giving consultation to others, suggest the wrong advice in the context of the treatment of bab ...
Many people are under impression that allergy and asthma disease had genetic or heredity factors playing major role as medium o ...
Scleroderma is a disease related with body autoimmune, connective tissue disease. Scleroderma induces inflammation and thickeni ...
