Lesson # 11

The Immune System

Introduction
The immune system is necessary to protect the body against disease causing organisms (pathogens) and
their toxins.

 Pathogens include viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa.

 Pathogens enter the body with air, food, water, during copulation and through wounds in the
skin.

The immune system recognizes pathogens and toxins and responds to eliminate them.

The internal defense is based on the animal’s ability to distinguished between self and non-self. An
animal’s immune system recognizes it’s own cells and can identify those of other organisms as foreign.

The immune system also responds to danger signals from injury tissue, such as proteins released when
cell membranes are damaged.

 The immune system is a collection of many types of cells and of tissues scattered throughout the
body.

 Cells of the immune system communicate directly by means of their surface molecules and
indirectly by releasing messenger molecules.

 Sometimes pathogens may overcome the body’s internal defense resulting in disease.

 Some diseases prevent or compromise immune function. (e.g. HIV, the virus that causes aides
infects T-cells).

 The immune system may over function as in allergic reactions.

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 Non Specific and Specific immunity (Summary
An immune response is the process of recognizing foreign or dangerous macromolecules and responding
to eliminate them.

There are two main types of immune responders namely;

a) Non specific
b) Specific

Non- specific immunity also referred to as innate immunity provide general protection against
pathogens, parasites, some toxins and cancer cells.

These responses prevent most pathogens from entering the body in the first place and rapidly destroy
those that penetrate the outer defenses.

(We will examine the role of the skin and phacocytic cells later).

On the other hand specific immunity also referred to as acquired immunity is highly specific. Any
molecule that cells of the immune system specifically recognize as foreign is called an antigen.

The most powerful antigens are proteins, but antigens also include polysaccharides and lipids.

Specific immune responses are directed towards particular antigens and includes the production of
antibodies.

Antibodies are highly specific proteins that recognize and bind to specific antigens.

An important characteristic of specific immunity is what is referred to as immunological memory. This is

the capacity to respond more effectively the second time foreign molecules invade the body.

We shall now have a closer look at both non-specific and specific immunity.