[Immunologic responses of the anterior chamber of the eye]

A better understanding of the ocular immune responses should help us determine the etiology and pathophysiology of many uveitides. Ocular immune "privilege" is the result of the interaction of factors such as the blood-ocular barrier, the absence of lymphatic vessels, the sequestration of retinal antigens, the presence of local immunomodulators in the aqueous humor, and anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID). The purpose of this review is to discuss some of the immunologic characteristics of the anterior chamber of the eye, their relation to intraocular inflammation and their systemic effects.