The immune response is how an organism recognises and responds defensively, at a cellular level, to bacteria, viruses, fungi and substances which may be harmful to it.
The immune response works by cells recognising "self" and "not self" from the proteins that are present in the cell membrane, or on the surface of invaders.
In human immune response, white blood cells, called lymphocytes, produce antibodies to these proteins, blocking the harmful action(s) of the invaders.
The allergic response is an excessive, potentially damaging, immune response to a substance that is, normally, harmless.
Anne Evans
|