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Circulating immune complexes (CICs) are a heterogeneous group of immunoreactants formed by the noncovalent union of antigen and antibody. Many factors influence the formation, immunochemistry, biology, and clearance of these soluble reactants. The recent development of sensitive assays for the detection of CICs and the capability to assess immune complex (IC) clearance mechanisms in humans in vivo have expanded our understanding of these mediators. CICs influence both the afferent and efferent limbs of the immune response and can mediate tissue damage in certain pathologic states. ICs probably play an important role in the pathogenesis of serum sickness, systemic lupus erythematosus, and cutaneous necrotizing vasculitis. Recent investigations have raised the possibility that CICs may be of significance in other types of vasculitis as well. In other instances, ICs may form in response to tissue injury and subsequently modify the immune response of the host. A review of this material with special emphasis on diseases of relevance to dermatologists is presented.
K B Yancey, and
T J Lawley
September 1979,
Annals of internal medicine,
K B Yancey, and
T J Lawley
January 1981,
Springer seminars in immunopathology,
K B Yancey, and
T J Lawley
March 1980,
Gastroenterology,
K B Yancey, and
T J Lawley
September 1981,
Clinical immunology and immunopathology,
K B Yancey, and
T J Lawley
January 1984,
Immunological communications,
K B Yancey, and
T J Lawley
January 1985,
Revmatologiia (Moscow, Russia),
K B Yancey, and
T J Lawley
January 1987,
Diagnostic and clinical immunology,
K B Yancey, and
T J Lawley
July 1986,
Proceedings of the National Science Council, Republic of China. Part B, Life sciences,
K B Yancey, and
T J Lawley
January 1981,
Terapevticheskii arkhiv,
K B Yancey, and
T J Lawley
January 1977,
Lancet (London, England),
