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a Cellular Biology and Immunogenetics Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia b Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
Key Words: autoimmune disease • aggregation • segregation • linkage • inheritance patterns
Address for correspondence: Juan-Manuel Anaya, M.D., Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Cra. 72-A No 78-B-141, Medellín, Colombia. Voice: 574-441-08-55; fax: 441-55-14. janaya{at}cib.org.co
Autoimmune diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders where multiple alterations in the immune system result in a spectrum of syndromes that either target specific organs or affect the body systematically. Although their heterogeneity is due to a collection of diverse conditions based on epidemiology, pathology, or diagnostic criteria, the underlying immunogenetic mechanism might be similar. Herein the nature and nurture of autoimmune diseases considered as a trait are reviewed, and a discussion is given on their multifactorial characteristics.
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