| Innate Immunity |
Innate Immunity
Innate Immunity:
- Is the basic resistance to disease that an organisms or
individual has as a function of birth. It is the initial immune
defense system.
- Is non-specific.
- At the species level it refers to the immune response that
all members show to a pathogen.
- Within a species there exists subgroups such as race, gender
etc. that may exhibit differences in immunity to pathogens.
- Individual immunity refers to differences in an individual�s
response to a pathogen within a given race.
- Four Types of barriers to infections: anatomic, physiologic,
phagocytic and inflammatory.
- Examples of these barriers: temperature,
pH, enzymes and chemical, skin, mucous
membranes, phagocytic or endocytic barriers,
inflammatory barriers.
Organs Involved in Innate Immunity
- Eyes: tears wash away pathogens and have bacteriocidal
enzymes.
- Skin: Difficult for a pathogen to penetrate, sweat creates
high salt conditions, oil layer makes an inhospitable
environment.
- Stomach: acid kills pathogens and sterilizes food.
- Nose: Mucus traps pathogens which are swallowed or blown
out.
- Mouth: Natural microbiota prevents growth of opportunistic
pathogens.
- Lungs: mucus lining of lungs traps pathogens and cilia move
particles out to throat and it is swallowed.
- Large intestine: Natural microbiota prevents growth of
opportunistic pathogens.
- Reproductive system: acid conditions and natural microbiota.
Innate Immunity Influences
- Age
- Nutrition
- Endocrine functions: disorders including diabetes,
hyperthyroidism, adrenal dysfunction and stress.
Mechanisms of Innate Immunity
- Non-specific broad spectrum response.
- No lasting immunological memory.
- Has limited flexibility and repertoire.
- Responses are evolutionarily ancient.
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