Book excerpt: This exciting new text describes how cells normally regulate immunological and inflammatory reactions, and how the immune system is intimately related to other bodily functions. The authors consider the effects of lymphokines on non-inflammatory cells and tissues, including connective tissue and the neuroendocrine system, and describe the effects of neuroendocrine and peptide growth factors produced by non-inflammatory cells and tissues on the functions of immune cells. To highlight the factors regulating immunophysiological functions, they discuss the inflammatory consequences of endotoxin, immune complexes, and complement; the interactions of immunomodulating epidermal factors and immune tissue; the modulation interactions of immunomodulating epidermal factors and immune tissue; and the modulation of immunity by cytokines. The mechanisms by which the immune system normally contends with bacterial, viral or tumor challenges are examined, with an emphasis on basic concepts and key experimental results; and the cells directly involved in host-defense processes are discussed. Wherever possible, information about in vivo and in vitro human immune responses is presented.