immunity

immunity, ability of an organism to resist disease by identifying and destroying foreign substances or organisms. Although all animals have some immune capabilities, little is known about nonmammalian immunity. Mammals are protected by a variety of preventive mechanisms, some of them nonspecific (e.g., barriers, such as the skin), others highly specific (e.g., the response of antibodies).

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Undesirable Immune Responses and Conditions
• Active and Passive Immunity
• T Lymphocytes
• Antibodies
• B Lymphocytes
• The Immune Response
• Nonsusceptibility
• Interferons
• Inflammatory Response
• Nonspecific Defenses
• Bibliography

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