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Related Concept Videos

Introduction to Innate and Adaptive Immunity01:21

Introduction to Innate and Adaptive Immunity

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The human immune system is a complex defense mechanism that protects the body from harmful pathogens and foreign substances. It comprises two crucial components: innate and adaptive immunity.
Innate immunity is the body's natural, nonspecific defense system that acts quickly to protect against pathogens. It incorporates physical barriers like skin and mucous membranes and cellular elements such as phagocytes and natural killer cells. This part of our immune system provides an immediate,...
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Diversity of Antigen Receptors01:28

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Antigen receptors are essential components of the immune system crucial in defending the body against foreign invaders. These receptors are present on the surface of B and T cells, enabling them to recognize antigens and mount an appropriate immune response.
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Genetic variation is the diversity in DNA sequences found among individuals of the same species. This diversity is crucial for a species' survival because it helps organisms adapt to environmental changes. Genetic variation begins with fertilization, where an egg and sperm cell merge. Each of these cells carries 23 chromosomes, up to 46 in the fertilized egg. Chromosomes are long DNA strands that contain genes, the basic units of heredity.
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Special Features of Adaptive Immunity01:20

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The adaptive immune system, a crucial component of the overall immune response, offers a highly specialized defense against pathogens. It involves specific cell types and features, enabling it to combat infections effectively and efficiently.
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Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity01:26

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An antigen is any substance the immune system identifies as foreign and potentially harmful to the body, prompting an immune response. Antigens have two functional properties: immunogenicity and reactivity. Immunogenicity is the ability of an antigen to stimulate a specific immune response. At the same time, reactivity describes the antigen's ability to react with the cells and antibodies produced in response to it.
Complete Antigens
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Generation of Human Alloantigen-specific T Cells from Peripheral Blood
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Human immune system variation.

Petter Brodin1,2, Mark M Davis3,4,5

  • 1Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17165, Sweden.

Nature Reviews. Immunology
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Human immune system variation is significant between people but stable within individuals. Microbes and environmental factors, not just genetics, largely shape immune system composition and health.

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Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Human Microbiome
  • Systems Biology

Background:

  • The human immune system exhibits considerable inter-individual variability, yet remains stable within a single person over time.
  • Advances in systems immunology provide unprecedented insights into immune cell and protein composition in healthy populations.
  • Understanding the factors influencing immune system diversity is crucial for health and disease risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the primary drivers of variation in the human immune system.
  • To differentiate between heritable and non-heritable influences on immune system composition.
  • To establish a foundation for defining immunological health metrics.

Main Methods:

  • Systems immunology analyses were employed to assess immune cell and protein profiles.
  • Comparative analysis of heritable and non-heritable factors influencing immune system variation.
  • Investigation into the role of microbial communities (symbiotic and pathogenic) and other environmental factors.

Main Results:

  • Both genetic and non-genetic factors contribute to immune system variability.
  • Non-heritable influences, particularly symbiotic and pathogenic microbes, account for the majority of immune system variation.
  • Specific environmental and microbial exposures significantly shape an individual's immune landscape.

Conclusions:

  • The human immune system's composition is dynamically shaped by a complex interplay of factors.
  • Microbial and environmental exposures are dominant forces in determining immune system variability.
  • Identifying these influences is critical for understanding disease susceptibility and promoting immunological health.