Immunoproliferative disorders are disorders of the

immune system The immune system is a network of biological processes that protects an organism from diseases. It detects and responds to a wide variety of pathogens, from viruses to parasitic worms, as well as cancer cells and objects such as wood splinte ...

that are characterized by the abnormal proliferation of the primary cells of the immune system, which includes

B cell B cells, also known as B lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cell of the lymphocyte subtype. They function in the humoral immunity component of the adaptive immune system. B cells produce antibody molecules which may be either secreted or ...

T cell A T cell is a type of lymphocyte. T cells are one of the important white blood cells of the immune system and play a central role in the adaptive immune response. T cells can be distinguished from other lymphocytes by the presence of a T-cell r ...

s and

natural killer Natural killer cells, also known as NK cells or large granular lymphocytes (LGL), are a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte critical to the innate immune system that belong to the rapidly expanding family of known innate lymphoid cells (ILC) and represen ...

(NK) cells, or by the excessive production of

immunoglobulin An antibody (Ab), also known as an immunoglobulin (Ig), is a large, Y-shaped protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as pathogenic bacteria and viruses. The antibody recognizes a unique molecule of the ...

s (also known as antibodies).

Classes

These disorders are subdivided into three main classes, which are

lymphoproliferative disorders Lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) refer to a specific class of diagnoses, comprising a group of several conditions, in which lymphocytes are produced in excessive quantities. These disorders primarily present in patients who have a compromised i ...

hypergammaglobulinemia Hypergammaglobulinemia is a medical condition with elevated levels of gamma globulin. It is a type of immunoproliferative disorder. Types Hypergammaglobulinemia is a condition that is characterized by the increased levels of a certain immunogl ...

, and

paraproteinemia Monoclonal gammopathy, also known as paraproteinemia, is the presence of excessive amounts of myeloma protein or monoclonal gamma globulin in the blood. It is usually due to an underlying immunoproliferative disorder or hematologic neoplasms, esp ...

.Health Communication Network. Immunoproliferative disorders - Topic Tree. http://www.use.hcn.com.au/subject.%60Immunoproliferative%20Disorders%60/home.html. Accessed March 2007. The first is cellular, and the other two are humoral (however, humoral excess can be secondary to cellular excess.) * ''Lymphoproliferative disorders'' (LPDs) refer to several conditions in which lymphocytes are produced in excessive quantities. They typically occur in patients who have compromised immune systems. This subset is sometimes incorrectly equated with "immunoproliferative disorders". * Humoral ** ''Hypergammaglobulinemia'' is characterized by increased levels of

s in the blood serum. Five different hypergammaglobulinemias are caused by an excess of

immunoglobulin M Immunoglobulin M (IgM) is one of several isotypes of antibody (also known as immunoglobulin) that are produced by vertebrates. IgM is the largest antibody, and it is the first antibody to appear in the response to initial exposure to an antig ...

(IgM), and some types are caused by a deficiency in the other major types of immunoglobulins. ** ''Paraproteinemia'' or ''monoclonal gammopathy'' is the presence of excessive amounts of a single monoclonal gammaglobulin (called a ''paraprotein'') in the blood.

References

External links

{{Lymphoid malignancy Immune system disorders

Classes

See also

References

External links