immunity

Examples of immunity in the following topics:

• Natural Active Immunity

  • Naturally acquired active immunity occurs when a person is exposed to a live pathogen, develops the disease, and then develops immunity.
  • Immunity is the state of protection against infectious disease conferred either through an immune response generated by immunization or previous infection, or by other non-immunological factors.
  • Naturally acquired active immunity occurs when the person is exposed to a live pathogen, develops the disease, and becomes immune as a result of the primary immune response.
  • Immunization (commonly referred to as vaccination) is the deliberate induction of an immune response, and represents the single most effective manipulation of the immune system that scientists have developed .
  • The principle behind immunization is to introduce an antigen, derived from a disease-causing organism, that stimulates the immune system to develop protective immunity against that organism, but which does not itself cause the pathogenic effects of that organism.

• Passive Immunization

  • Passive immunization can be exogenously administered (artificial) or transferred from mother to fetus (natural).
  • There are two types of passive immunity: artificial and natural .
  • For the newborn to have lasting protection, active immunity must be received.
  • Natural immunity occurs through contact with a disease causing agent, when the contact was not deliberate, where as artificial immunity develops only through deliberate actions of exposure.
  • Passive immunity is short lived, and usually lasts only a few months, whereas protection via active immunity lasts much longer, and is sometimes life-long.

• Active and Passive Humoral Immunity

  • The humoral immune response is the aspect of immunity that is mediated by secreted antibodies.
  • The humoral immune response (HIR) is the aspect of immunity that is mediated by secreted antibodies produced by B cells.
  • There are two types of humoral immunity, active and passive humoral immunity.
  • Active humoral immunity refers to any form of immunity that occurs as a result of the formation of an adaptive immune response from the body's own immune system.
  • Artificial active immunity is the result of immunization from vaccination.

• Primary and Secondary Antibody Responses

  • The immune system protects organisms from infection first with the innate immune system, then with adaptive immunity.
  • Innate immune systems are found in all plants and animals.
  • Both innate and adaptive immunity depend on the ability of the immune system to distinguish between self and non-self molecules.
  • This type of immunity is both active and adaptive because the body's immune system prepares itself for future challenges.
  • Active immunity often involves both the cell-mediated and humoral aspects of immunity as well as input from the innate immune system .

• Types of Adaptive Immunity

  • The adaptive immune response is mediated by B and T cells and creates immunity memory.
  • The adaptive immune system mounts a stronger, antigen-specific immune response after the innate immune response fails to prevent a pathogen from causing an infection.
  • There are two subdivisions of the adaptive immune system: cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity.
  • Cell mediated immunity is controlled by type 1 helper T cells (Th1) and cytotoxic T cells.
  • Antibodies provide a number of functions in humoral immunity.

• Overview of the Immune System

  • This process of acquired immunity is the basis of vaccination.
  • Innate immune systems are found in all plants and animals.
  • Adaptive immunity is often sub-divided into two major types depending on how the immunity was introduced.
  • Both naturally and artificially acquired immunity can be further subdivided depending on whether immunity is induced in the host or passively transferred from an immune host.
  • A further subdivision of adaptive immunity is characterized by the cells involved; humoral immunity is the aspect of immunity that is mediated by secreted antibodies, whereas the protection provided by cell-mediated immunity involves T lymphocytes alone.

• Adaptive Immunity and the Immunoglobulin Superfamily

  • Adaptive immunity is stimulated by exposure to infectious agents and recruits elements of the immunoglobulin superfamily.
  • The components of adaptive immunity are lymphocytes and their products.
  • There are two types of adaptive immune responses: humoral immunity and cell-mediated immunity.
  • They are commonly associated with roles in the immune system.
  • Describe the role of immunoglobulins in the adaptive immune response, specifically in humoral immunity

• Artificial Immunity

  • Artificial immunity is a mean by which the body is given immunity to a disease by intentional exposure to small quantities of it.
  • Immunity is the state of protection against infectious disease conferred either through an immune response generated by immunization or by previous infection or other non-immunological factors.
  • Artificially-acquired passive immunity is an immediate, but short-term immunization provided by the injection of antibodies, such as gamma globulin, that are not produced by the recipient's cells.
  • Natural immunity occurs through contact with a disease causing agent, when the contact was not deliberate, where as artificial immunity develops only through deliberate actions of exposure.
  • Passive immunity is short lived, and usually lasts only a few months, whereas protection via active immunity lasts much longer, and is sometimes life-long.

• Overview of Adaptive Immunity

  • The adaptive immune system works to protect and heal the body when the innate immune system fails.
  • The adaptive immune system starts to work after the innate immune system is activated.
  • The adaptive immune response occurs a few days after the innate immune response is initiated.
  • The major functions of the adaptive immune system include:
  • Adaptive immunity is triggered when a pathogen evades the innate immune system for long enough to generate a threshold level of an antigen.

• Innate Immune Response

  • Mammalian immune systems evolved for protection from such pathogens.
  • However, we are born with only innate immunity, developing our adaptive immune response after birth.
  • Components of both immune systems constantly search the body for signs of pathogens.
  • When pathogens are found, immune factors are mobilized to the site of an infection.
  • Eosinophils play a variety of roles in the immune response.