In this article, we will talk about the interesting facts about the Immune System. The Immune System can be found in all human’s body. It is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease. An immune system works by detect a wide variety of agents, called as pathogens, from viruses to parasitic worms, and distinguish them from the organism’s own healthy tissue. Let’s read the detail facts about the Immune system below.
Facts about the Immune System 1: History of Immunology
Immunology is a science that examines the structure and function of the immune system. The first known data related to immunity was during the plague of Athens in 430 BC. In the 18th century, Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis made experiments with scorpion venom and observed that certain dogs and mice were immune to this venom. At the end of 19th century, Immunology made a great advance in the study of humoral immunity and cellular immunity.
Facts about the Immune System 2: Classifications
In many species, the immune system can be classified into subsystems, such as the innate immune system versus the adaptive immune system, or humoral immunity versus cell-mediated immunity.
Facts about the Immune System 3: Innate Immune System
The Innate Immune System has non-specific response. It exposures leads to immediate maximal response and can be found in nearly all forms of live. It doesn’t have immunological memory.
Facts about the Immune System 4: Adaptive Immune System
The Adaptive Immune System has pathogen and antigen specific response. It exposures leads to immunological memory and can be found in jawed vertebrates only. It has slower response between exposure and maximal response.
Facts about the Immune System 5: Pathogen
Pathogen term is used to describe an infectious agent, a microorganism (in the widest sense such as a virus, bacterium, prion, fungus or protozoan) that causes disease in its host. The host may be an animal, a plant, a fungus or even another microorganism. Find more facts about the Hand here
Facts about the Immune System 6: Inflammation
One of the first responses of the immune system to infection is inflammation. It is marked by the symptoms such as redness, swelling, heat, and pain. The symptoms are caused by increased blood flow into tissue.
Facts about the Immune System 7: Hypersensitivity
Hypersensitivity happens when an immune response damages the body’s own tissues. Based on the mechanisms involved and the time course of the hypersensitive reaction, hypersensitivity are divided into four classes (Type I-IV).
Facts about the Immune System 8: Leukocytes
Leukocytes or known as white blood cells act like independent, single-celled organisms and are the second arm of the innate immune system. These cells identify and eliminate pathogens, either by attacking larger pathogens through contact or by engulfing and then killing microorganisms.
Facts about the Immune System 9: Immunodeficiency
Immunodeficiency happens when one or more of the components of the immune system are inactive. It can be caused by obesity, alcoholism, drug and malnutrition. It can also be inherited or ‘acquired’.
Facts about the Immune System 10: HIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This is typically followed by a prolonged period without symptoms. As the infection progresses, it interferes more and more with the immune system, make people has more susceptible to another general infections. Find more facts about the Flu here
Hopefully, those interesting facts about the Immune System will enrich your knowledge