Humoral or cellular effector mechanisms?

Human autoimmune diseases have long been regarded as the sole consequence of autoantibody production, often with concomitant immune complex formation. More recent evidence indicates that T lymphocytes and macrophages may play an important role in damaging target tissues. In july, invited participants discussed in the Diisseldorf Autoimmunity Workshop 1983(∗) the evidence for the dominance of Immoral or cellular effector mechanisms in the various human autoimmune diseases.