Immunity
of
Human/Innate
Immunity/Acquired
Immunity
This
chapter
deals
with
the
four
major
mechanisms
of
immunity
to
diseases.
Antibodies
and
vaccines
occupy
central
position
in
these
immune
responses.
We
shall
also
consider
the
laboratory
tests
for
detecting
antibodies
in
diseased
individual.
The
word
immume
is
derived
from
the
Latin
stem
immuno,
meaning
safe
or
free
from.
In
a
general
sense,
the
term
implies
a
condition
under
which
an
individual
is
protected
from
disease
(not
all
but
some
specific
disease).
There
are
two
general
types
of
immunity:
(i)
Innate
immunity
(ii)
Acquired
immunity
Innate
Immunity is
an
inborn
capacity
for
resisting
disease.
It
begins
at
birth
and
depends
on
genetic
factors.
Examples
of
this
type
of
immunity
are
species
and
racial
immunities.
Acquired
immunity by
contrast,
begins
after
birth.
It
depends
on
the
presence
of
antibodies
and
other
factors
originating
from
the
immune
system.
Four
types
of
acquired
immunity
are
generally
recognised,
that
are
described
here.
It
may
be
seen
that
the
emphasis
will
be
on
antibodies
and
humoral
immunity.
Cellular
immunity
is
also
important
in
total
spectrum
of
disease
resistance.
|