Bi6930 Immunotoxicology

Faculty of Science
Spring 2010
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. RNDr. Luděk Bláha, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. RNDr. Jakub Hofman, Ph.D. (alternate examiner)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Ivan Holoubek, CSc.
RECETOX – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. RNDr. Luděk Bláha, Ph.D.
Timetable
Wed 14:00–15:50 409-stara KAM1
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- understand immune system as the organ sensitive to external factors including toxic chemicals.
- describe principles of immunotoxicology, i.e. research branch studying effects of stressors (mainly chemical compounds) on immune system and the importance of immune system changes for organism health.
- describe and discuss functions of the immune system, its components, communication with respect to toxic effects
- design and use experimental methods in immunotoxicology as well as interpret and analyze the results of the tiered tsting approach
- describe major laboratory methods in immunotoxicology,
- classify toxicants (drugs, pollutants, etc.), and describe ecological immunotoxicology (invertebrates, fish, amphibians).
Syllabus
  • 1. Immunotoxicology. Introduction, history, aims and scopes, human immunotoxicology, ecological immunotoxicology. 2. Immune system. Components of immune system, function, communication, immune system as a target of xenobiotics. Immune system as a part of an organism - interactions, controls, homeostasis, (xeno-)estrogens. 3. Experimental design in immunotoxicology. Exposure, response. "Tier I" and "Tier II" methods. Animal models in immunotoxicology, batteries of immunotoxicology tests. 4. Laboratory methods in immunotoxicology. Assays of immunocompetence, macrophage function assays, host resistance, antitumor immunity, hypersensitivity, autoimmunity. 5. Special immunotoxicology 1 - introduction. Factors affecting immune system (climate, geography, biorhythms, stress, social habits, chemicals, irradiation and other physico-chemical factors). 6. Special immunotoxicology 2 - immunotoxicology of drugs (antibiotics, important pharamceuticals, immunosuppressives a immunomodulators, antitumor therapy). 7. Special immunotoxicology 3 - immunotoxicology of pollutants (metals, pesticides, industrial chemicals - PCBs, PAHs, PCDD(F)s, other organic pollutants, azbestosis, silikosis). 8. Ecological immunotoxicology. Animal immune system and interactions with xenobiotics. Invertebrates, fish, amphibians, birds, mammals. Markers of immune system alterations, ecological consequences. Case studies. 9. Risk assessment. Immunotoxicology as a branch of general toxicology, hazard identification, uncertainities.
Literature
  • Immunotoxicology and immunopharmacology. Edited by Jack H. Dean. 2nd ed. New York: Raven Press, 1994, xxi, 761 s. ISBN 0-7817-0219-4. info
  • Wagner, V., Wagnerová, M. Ekoimunologie, Avicenum, 1988, Praha
  • Ferenčík, M. Immunochémia, Alfa, 1989, Bratislava
Teaching methods
lectures (weekly), e-learning support incorporated in the IS.MUNI.CZ system
Assessment methods
final written test and oral examination
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
http://www.recetox.muni.cz/studium
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2008 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Spring 2011 - only for the accreditation, Spring 2003, Spring 2004, Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, spring 2012 - acreditation, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2016.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2010, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2010/Bi6930