Submitted on November 2, 2004
Revised on November 16, 2004
Accepted on November 2, 2004
Thematic review series: The immune system in atherogenesis. Overview: Immune function in atherogenesis
Godfrey S. Getz
Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637-1470
Corresponding Author: g-getz{at}uchicago.edu
In this overview to a new thematic series on the immune system and atherogenesis, I provide a very brief summary of current conceptions of atherogenesis, of the innate and adaptive immune systems, and of the participation of the latter in atherogenesis, with particular emphasis on studies of the involvement of the immune system in atherosclerosis reported in the last two years. This is followed a short outline of the 8 reviews that will make up this thematic series. The overview is concluded with some caveats that should be considered in the analysis of atherosclerosis in experimental animals.