1 Overview: the major histocompatibility complex and insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The foregoing is a brief introduction to the genetic structure of the human MHC to enable the reader to fully appreciate the more complex genetic analyses concerning diabetes susceptibility which occur in succeeding chapters. There are clearly many polymorphic genes within the MHC that have a role in immune regulation and are candidate disease susceptibility genes. There is evidence in IDDM that several genes within the MHC play a role in conferring susceptibility. These genes, and the evidence which implicates them, are discussed in detail throughout this volume. © 1991 Baillière Tindall.