Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune Diseases

An immune disease is the pathological condition caused by an autoimmune response. There are two main mechanisms for the development of autoimmunity: (1) breakdown in the mechanisms that maintain self tolerance, and (2) evasion or circumvention of normal functioning mechanism which tolerate self-antigens. In the first category, there is an alteration in the cellular processes on which maintenance of normal self tolerance -depends. This could occur by direct effect of a chemical a drug, or an infectious agent on the lymphoid tissues.

Alternatively, the loss of normal self tolerance control could be due to an inherited defect or lack of efficiency in the lymphoid cell population. In the second category the evasion may occur in two possible ways. (1) Because a particular body antigen is not normally accessible to the cells of the immune system, as the antigen is hidden within a cell or tissue (e. g, antigenic substances of the eye, sperm, thyroid area, central nervous system). (2) Because a tissue antigen is altered in some way by a chemical, drug, or an infectious agent. Lists some of the more common autoimmune diseases and the tissues or antigens of their origin.

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