immunity (immune system)

Introduction

Resistance to infection & disease in general (host defenses).

Mechanism of action

• physical & chemical barriers
  • integrity of skin & mucous membranes
  • sphincters
  • epiglottis
  • normal secretory & excretory flow
  • endogenous microbial flora
  • gastric acidity
• inflammatory response
  • circulating phagocytes 2b) complement
  • other humoral mediators
    • bradykinins
    • fibrinolytic systems
    • arachidonic acid cascade
• reticuloendothelial system
  • tissue phagocytes
• immune response
  • cellular immunity
  • humoral immunity
  • innate immunity
  • adaptive immunity

* host defenses

More general terms

• organ system

More specific terms

• adaptive immunity
• cellular immunity
• humoral immunity
• innate immunity

Additional terms

• age-associated changes in immunity; immunosenescence
• autoimmune disease
• immunodeficiency; immunodeficiency syndrome
• immunology
• infection (infectious disease)