Immune tolerance
(Redirected from Immunologic tolerance)
Immune Tolerance[edit | edit source]
Immune tolerance is a state of unresponsiveness of the immune system to substances or tissues that have the potential to induce an immune response. It is a critical aspect of the immune system that prevents autoimmunity, allowing the body to tolerate self-antigens while remaining responsive to foreign antigens.
Mechanisms of Immune Tolerance[edit | edit source]
Immune tolerance can be broadly categorized into two types: central tolerance and peripheral tolerance.
Central Tolerance[edit | edit source]
Central tolerance occurs during the development of T cells and B cells in the thymus and bone marrow, respectively. During this process, cells that recognize self-antigens with high affinity are eliminated through a process known as negative selection. This ensures that the majority of self-reactive lymphocytes are removed before they can enter the circulation.
Peripheral Tolerance[edit | edit source]
Peripheral tolerance takes place after lymphocytes have matured and entered the peripheral tissues. It involves several mechanisms, including:
- Anergy: A state of functional inactivation that occurs when lymphocytes encounter antigens without the necessary co-stimulatory signals.
- Regulatory T cells (Tregs): A subset of T cells that suppress immune responses and maintain tolerance to self-antigens.
- Deletion: The induction of apoptosis in self-reactive lymphocytes that escape central tolerance.
Importance of Immune Tolerance[edit | edit source]
Immune tolerance is essential for preventing autoimmune diseases, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues. It also plays a crucial role in transplantation, where tolerance to donor antigens can prevent graft rejection.
Clinical Implications[edit | edit source]
Failures in immune tolerance can lead to a variety of autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. Understanding the mechanisms of immune tolerance is vital for developing therapies to treat these conditions.
Related Pages[edit | edit source]
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates, categories Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
