Contents

#### **Preface XI**


## Preface

Myelomonocytes are the multipotent cells in the stage of blood cell differentiation, which are capable of generating the so-called innate components of immunity. Mainly comprising blood monocytes, tissue macrophages and subset of dendritic cells, this lineage actually serves as the evolutionary primitive arm of immunity. But these cells are those that reach almost every corner of our body including the restricted brain compartment, reside there as the guard, engage in constant surveillance in the territories and convey the health bulletin. Actually, their position and ability of judgement of the health of tissue or organ environ‐ ment are the key initiators of tissue-specific immune response in a local and global fashion. Interestingly, the morpho-functional aspects of this group of cells vary to a wide range with their positional diversity. Their differentiation status, dynamics of lineage commitment, re‐ ceptor expression and modulation and morphological and immune responses are now showing us various critical versatility, diversions or overlaps during differentiation and/or diseases. Therefore, understanding their biology is becoming crucial to know the tissue-spe‐ cific immune activities and their modulation in normal physiological and patho-physiologi‐ cal situations. Their ability to communicate or represent the tissue microenvironment to the peripheral immune system and efficiency to engage the system to effector activation, modu‐ lation, support, and control hold the key for a successful immune endeavour. The present volume shows some glimpses of such an extensive area of current research interest of present immunology research.

'Biology' is a term that possesses the inherent power of inclusion that vortexes into all mor‐ phological, structural and functional aspects of a living entity. When the name of the present book volume was proposed, it was targeted to include the wide variation in terms of lineage divergence of the myelomonocytic precursor cells, their residential status in different parts of our body and their functional versatility as defender and effecter immune cell. As the edi‐ tor of this volume, I expected wider participation and broader magnitude to cover, particu‐ larly, for the differentiated tissue resident myelomonocytic lineage cells. However, this is qualitatively compensated by the existing articles that precisely and efficiently deal with some very important, critical and timely aspects of myelomonocytic lineage cell biology and its challenging facets. The volume contains some articles that address some basic aspects of lineage differentiation of dendritic cells and few deal with morpho-functional aspects of these cells in organs and in diseases. The book is divided into two sections. The first section title is 'Lineage, Identity and Function', under which the article of Dr. Marti Luciana and colleagues deals with the lineage-specific and differentiation markers, their expression pro‐ file and their functional correlation to identify and characterize differentiating myelomono‐ cytic cells, whereas the second one by Dr. Castell Andres and his colleagues discusses about variable precursors and lineages of dendritic cells, their characters, their functions and other

immunological aspects. The second section of the book 'Function in Organ and Disease' comprises four chapters. The first chapter of this section by Prof Li and colleagues discusses about resident myelomonocytic cell in liver diseases; the second one by Dr. Li and Tu states the role of monocyte/macrophage in viral hepatitis, whereas the next one by Dr. McCul‐ lough and Sharma establishes the functional importance of dendritic cell endocytosis. Final‐ ly, Prof. Wigdhal and team demonstrate a newer application of myelomonocytic cell lines in virus-induced immunodeficiency disease modelling.

It was an interesting task that I initiated with the proposal from InTech last year. Though it is not a huge volume, it took a lengthy tenure partly because of the repeated editorial de‐ mand to the authors for more precision and largely because of several deadlines missed by me as an editor to complete the steps due to my several preoccupancies. Throughout the period, the support team of InTech and particularly Publishing Process Manager Ms. Romi‐ na Rovan cooperated with me a lot and managed to maintain all particulars to complete the book. I am thankful to them. I would also like to acknowledge the support of many who inspired me as an advisor, a supporter or a colleague and helped me as a student or staff at any time during this work. Lastly and most importantly, I would like to thank my family, my wife Malabika and my son Upamanyu for their presence, support and tolerance to my continuous involvement in the present work and many others throughout the time. This ef‐ fort will be successful if the volume can add something in the understanding and research on myelomonocytic cells.

> **Anirban Ghosh** Panihati Mahavidyalaya, Sodepur, India

**Lineage, Identity and Function**

immunological aspects. The second section of the book 'Function in Organ and Disease' comprises four chapters. The first chapter of this section by Prof Li and colleagues discusses about resident myelomonocytic cell in liver diseases; the second one by Dr. Li and Tu states the role of monocyte/macrophage in viral hepatitis, whereas the next one by Dr. McCul‐ lough and Sharma establishes the functional importance of dendritic cell endocytosis. Final‐ ly, Prof. Wigdhal and team demonstrate a newer application of myelomonocytic cell lines in

It was an interesting task that I initiated with the proposal from InTech last year. Though it is not a huge volume, it took a lengthy tenure partly because of the repeated editorial de‐ mand to the authors for more precision and largely because of several deadlines missed by me as an editor to complete the steps due to my several preoccupancies. Throughout the period, the support team of InTech and particularly Publishing Process Manager Ms. Romi‐ na Rovan cooperated with me a lot and managed to maintain all particulars to complete the book. I am thankful to them. I would also like to acknowledge the support of many who inspired me as an advisor, a supporter or a colleague and helped me as a student or staff at any time during this work. Lastly and most importantly, I would like to thank my family, my wife Malabika and my son Upamanyu for their presence, support and tolerance to my continuous involvement in the present work and many others throughout the time. This ef‐ fort will be successful if the volume can add something in the understanding and research

**Anirban Ghosh**

Sodepur, India

Panihati Mahavidyalaya,

virus-induced immunodeficiency disease modelling.

on myelomonocytic cells.

VIII Preface
