Sjögren's syndrome: immunological response underlying the disease.

Sjögren's syndrome is a chronic autoimmnune disorder characterized primarily by the discomforts od dry eyes and dry mouth due to the progressive loss of exocrine gland function. Development of a number of animal models to study Sjögren's syndrome, especially the NOD mouse and its congenic partner strains, has permitted a systematic analysis of immunological and non-immunological factors that influence predisposition for development of the autoimmune response. These data are reviewed here.