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The compatibility gene : how our bodies fight disease, attract others, and define our selves / Daniel M. Davis.

by Davis, Daniel M. (Daniel Michael), 1970-

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Oxford University Press, 2014, c2013.

Human molecular genetics.

Human genetics.

Immunogenetics.

Infection -- Immunological aspects.

Medical genetics.

Genetic disorders.

9780241956755 (pbk.)

9780199316410 (hc.)

0199316414 (hc.)

xvi, 231 p. ; 20 cm.

"First published by Allen Lane in 2013"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction -- PART I: Human Compatibility - A Scientific Revolution -- 1. Frankenstein's holy trinity -- 2. Self and non-self -- 3. Dead but alive in parts -- 4. A crystal clear answer at last -- PART II: The Frontier of Compatibility Research -- 5. Differences between us that matter -- 6. Pathfinders -- 7. Missing self -- PART III: The Overarching System -- 8. Sex and smelly T-shirts -- 9. Secrets of the mind -- 10. The footprints of your existence -- Epilogue: What makes you so special? -- Acknowledgements -- References and Notes -- Index.

"The history of transplants and immunology. Astonishing links between who we are as individuals and our never-ceasing struggle to survive disease. Most of the 25,000 genes we possess are the same for all of us. Compatibility genes are those that vary most from person to person and give each of us a unique molecular signature. These genes determine both the extent to which we are susceptible to a vast range of illnesses and the different ways each of us fights disease. Immunologist Daniel Davis suggests even more fascinating -- and controversial -- conclusions about compatibility genes: that we find others more or less sexy according to their compatibility genes (dating services are starting to match people in this way); that the wiring between some neurons is kept or broken according to the activity of compatibility genes; and that compatibility genes influence the chances of a couple having a successful pregnancy. Life-changing decisions appear to be governed by the actions of a few inherited genes. Because we each respond slightly differently to any particular disease, in the not-too-distant future vaccines and other medications may be tailored to match our compatibility genes. Including stories of patients who survived disease due to lucky genetic inheritances, The Compatibility Gene explains an aspect of human biology that will have profound impact on medical practice in the 21st Century"--Provided by publisher.

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