TARGET ORGANS AND SYSTEMS - METHODOLOGIES TO ASSESS IMMUNE-SYSTEM FUNCTION

Immunotoxicity encompasses both reduced and heightened immune function . Diverse chemicals can impair functioning of the immune system. Both monographs and books have been devoted to detailed descriptions of imm unotoxicity. This paper gives a brief overview of the methods currentl y used to assess the immunotoxic potential of chemicals. It also discu sses the trend toward the use of alternative methods to mammalian mode ls, such as feral species, in vitro assays, and computational models. The strategy of using a tier approach to screen chemicals for immunoto xicity is described, together with the rationale for, and limitations of, this approach. Interpretation of data with regard to clinical dise ase and human health is addressed. The immune system poses substantial complexities in this regard as the system has functional reserve and functional redundancy.