Myositis describes a heterogeneous group of disorders whose main pathologic feature is chronic inflammation of the affected muscles. The association of myositis with other autoimmune diseases, the response to corticosteroid and immunosuppressive therapy, the frequent occurrence of autoantibodies, and the presence of chronic inflammatory cells in the affected muscles of patients with myositis indicate that the myositis syndromes are autoimmune diseases. This review summarizes recent observations on the role of humoral and cellular mechanisms in myositis. During the past year, the most notable contributions included studies on the relationship among autoantibodies and various clinical and epidemiologic features of patients with myositis; further evidence for T-cell involvement in the pathogenesis of myositis; demonstration of amyloid proteins in muscle fibers of patients with inclusion body myositis; and a controlled trial of plasma exchange and leukapheresis in myositis.