Basic concepts of immunology

Basic concepts of immunology

Immunology is the study of immune system. This system protects an indvidual from various infective agents. It refers to all the mechanisms used by the body for protection from environmental agents that are foreign to the body.

When the immune system does not function efficiently in an individual, it leads to infection causing disease. The overall ability of body to fight against the disease causing pathogen is called immunity. It is also called disease resistance and the lack of immunity is known as susceptibility. Immunity is highly specific.

Normally many of the responses of the immune system initiate the destruction and elimination of invading organisms and any toxic molecules produced by them. These immune reactions are destructive in nature and are made in response only to molecules that are foreign to the host and not to those of host itself. This ability to distinguish foreign molecules from self is another fundamental feature of the immune system. However, occasionally, it fails to make its distinction and reacts destructively against the host's own molecules; such autoimmune diseases can be fatal to the organism.

Almost  all  the  macromolecules e.g.proteins,  polysaccharides, nucleic  acids, etc., as long as they are foreign to recipient organism  can  induce  immune  response. Any substance capable of eliciting immune response is called an ANTIGEN (ANTIbody GENerator). There are two broad classes of immunity responses namely, innate immunity and acquired immunity (Fig. 8.1).