Heat shock proteins in immune responses.

The assembly of functional MHC-I and MHC-II complexes is rapid, specific, and efficient. Recent advances in the area of antigen processing and presentation suggest that members of the heat shock protein (hsp) family facilitate the molecular events in the assembly process. Furthermore, hsps themselves have been shown to be the dominant antigens of a variety of pathogens as well as serving as targets of the immune system in healthy individuals. Hsps may play a fundamental role in immune responses, serving as an early warning to the host's immune system during the onset of infection.