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Adaptive vs Innate Immunity

Submitted by cslavin on Mon, 03/18/2019 - 20:31

Innate immunity is something that everyone is born with. It consists of surface barriers and internal defenses. Surface barriers include the skin and mucous membranes. Internal defenses include phagocytes, natural killer cells, inflamation, antimicrobial protiens, and fever. Phagocytes recognize stuff that is not "self" and degrade it. Natural killer cells kill abnormal human cells. Inflamation causes the capillaries to leak which promotes another immune response. Antimirobial protiens such as the complement protein can bind antibodies attached to a pathogen and make a hole in the bacteria which disrupts homeostasis and kills the bacteria. Fevers increase metabolic activity which produces heat and stimulates an immune response. Adaptive immunity is not something you are born with. Lymphocytes begin in the red bone marrow. They mature into B cells in the red bone marrow, but they travel to the thyroid to mature into Tcells. B cells secrete antibodies, which are formed from past invasions of pathogens. T cells are comprised of T helper cells and cytotoxic T cells which kill our own cells once they are infected. The B and T cells are activated only when they come into contact with the antigen that matches their antibody. 

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