Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The immune system is the defense mechanism of the human body for protection against\ninfections and other unwanted biological invasions. There are two types of immune responses:\nthe innate immune response and the adaptive immune response.\nInnate immune recognition relies on a limited number of germline-encoded innate immune\nreceptors that recognize conserved products of microbial metabolism produced\nby pathogens, but not by the host. Recognition of these molecules allows the immune\nsystem to distinguish infectious nonself from noninfectious self (1). Antigen presenting\ncells (APC) form the bridge between the innate and the adaptive immune system,\nwhich has more variability and specificity. B en T cells are the mediators of the adaptive\nimmune system. B-cells are the precursors of antibody secreting cells and can directly\nrecognize antigens via their B-cell receptors, however T cells need the antigen to be\nprocessed and presented to them by an APC. The T-cell receptor (TCR) recognizes fragments\nof antigen in combination with molecules of the major histocompatibility complex\n(MHC). Two types of MHC molecules exist: MHC class I that is expressed by all nucleated\ncells in the human body and MHC class II that is expressed exclusively by APC,\nwhich present antigenic peptides to cytotoxic T cells and Thelper cells, respectively.
Author: Patrick P.C. Boor
Language: English
Subfield: Immunology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2128476421