The concept of immune regulation is central to rheumatology because many of the problems practitioners of this science face are caused by inappropriate immune responses and many of the treatments used are based on attempts to alter the frequency, rate, or extent of certain immune responses. But where is the natural central control? Is there such a thing or is it merely soluble factors floating in the blood or produced locally in tissues? Is it the brain, the smartest organ in the body? While it

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... might not be the first choice of some, the nervous system is aware of, monitors and influences immune tissues and cells through the neuroendocrine system and autonomic nerve fibers [1]. Neuroimmunology is a sometimes overlooked component of the big picture. It is interesting that the historically important Thy-1 'theta' antigen associated with T lymphocytes is also found on neurons, and on many of the stem cells described below.