Andras Szakal, Ph.D.

Professor

Andras Szakal, Ph.D.

Department: Anatomy and Neurobio

ProfessorAndras K. Szakal
Retired June 2005

EDUCATION

  • B.A., Zoology, University of Colorado (1961)
  • M.A., Zoology, University of Colorado (1963) in zoology at the University of Colorado.
  • Ph.D., Immunology, University of Tennessee (1972)
  • Postdoctoral studies in immunology of chemical carcinogenesis at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

RESEARCH AND SCHOLARLY INTERESTS

My research interest centers around the functional unit of the lymphoid tissue, the lymphoid follicle, where immunological memory develops for the maintenance of antibody production. Cells interacting in the lymphoid follicles of the lymph nodes or the spleen are the follicular dendritic cell (FDC), the T and B lymphocytes and certain macrophages. The key cell is the FDC, which is responsible for sequestering information (the antigen) to be passed onto B lymphocytes. B cells with T cell help and FDC costimulation become B memory cells and antibody producing plasma cells. These cell interactions are responsible for immunity to disease. With better understanding, age-related loss in antibody production could be minimized. The mechanism of immunosupression in AIDS is similar to that in aging. Consequently, our interest also includes the effect of retroviruses (HIV) on the immune system. With my colleagues and graduate students, who are trained in both microanatomy and immunology, I study mechanisms of immunodepression using light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, cell isolation and cell culture techniques.

For Histology Lecture syllabi, click here.

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

  • Aydar Y, Balogh P, Tew JG, Szakal AK. 2004. Follicular dendritic cells in aging, a "bottle-neck" in the humoral immune response. Ageing Res. Rev., 3(1):15-29.
  • Aydar Y, Wu J, Song J, Szakal AK, Tew JG. 2004. Fc gamma RII expression on follicular dendritic cells and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif signaling in B cells. Eur. J. Immunol., 34(1):98-107.
  • Aydar Y, Balogh P, Tew JG, Szakal AK. 2003. Altered regulation of Fc gamma RII on aged follicular dendritic cells correlates with immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif signaling in B cells and reduced germinal center formation. J. Immunol., 171(11):5975-87.

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