Immune System
Date
Authors
Major Professor
Advisor
Committee Member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Authors
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Is Version Of
Versions
Series
Department
Abstract
The immune system comprises a variety of components that cooperate to defend the host against infectious agents. These components generally can be divided into nonspecific (or native) immune defense mechanisms and specific (or acquired) immune defense mechanisms. The nonspecific defense mechanisms are not antigen specific. They are present in a normal animal without previous exposure to antigen, and they are capable of responding almost immediately to an infectious agent. The major components of the nonspecific immune system are complement, phagocytic cells (macrophages, neutrophils, and eosinophils), natural killer (NK) cells, and some types of interferon. These components are very important in controlling an infection during the first few days of an initial exposure to an agent, when the specific immune response system is gearing up to produce antibody and a cell-mediated immune response.
Comments
This is a chapter in Diseases of Swine, 7th ed., chapter 3 (1992): 21.