The incidence of autoimmune diseases is increasing worldwide, and the search for better management of these diseases and even for a cure is being pursued by scientists from many disciplines. Tools from the areas of genetics, neuorscience, cell biology, virology, and infectious disease are being applied to the problem and are yielding useful results. This is the third volume of a series of four on autoimmunity, and findings related to particular organs, organ systems, and diseases are presented. The focus in Part C is on autoimmunity and vessel pathology, the neurologic system, cancer, the GI tract, diabetes, the lung, and the heart. Autoimmunity, Part D completes the group of volumes and also presents research focusing on clinical manifestations of autoimmunity. See Parts A and B for basic research findings. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member