BIOL 1503 Chapter : Immune System
Document Summary
Immune system: do not distinguish between inciting agents (skin, nonspecific defense mechanisms, specific defense mechanisms immune system . Acquired immunity: also called adaptive immunity, develops only after exposure to inducing agents such as microbes, toxins etc. First line: skin, mucous membrane, secretions of both, ph, antimicrobial proteins, washing action, normal flora of skin & gi tract. Autoimmune disease: immune system cannot distinguish between self and non-self, loses tolerance for certain tissues in body, causes are varied and complex, diabetes mellitus type 1, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematous. Problem in any factors of immune response can impair immune function: affects humoral and cell-mediated immunity, scid=severe combined immunodeficiency disease, hodgkin"s disease=cancer of lymphatic system, aids=affects helper t cells. Clinical aspect: immunity breakdown: aids, recurrent fever, weakness, weight loss, caused by hiv (human immunodeficiency virus, hiv impairs macrophages and helper t cells, th drops from 1000 200/cc, later in infection, hiv impairs cytotoxic t cells, hiv mutate quickly.
