The immune system

Cota, Allwyn M.; Midwinter, Mark J.

doi:10.1016/j.mpaic.2009.01.015

« Previous Next »Anaesthesia & intensive care medicine
Volume 10, Issue 5 , Pages 215-217, May 2009

The immune system

Allwyn M Cota MSc FRCS FRCSEd is a final-year SpR at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK. Research interests include immunological responses in Claudicants. Conflicts of interest: none declared

Mark J Midwinter MD FRCS is a Consultant GI surgeon at Derriford Hospital, and the Defence Professor of Surgery and head of the Academic Department of Military Surgery and Trauma, Royal Centre of Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK. His clinical and research interests include all acute pancreatitis, pancreatic surgery, and trauma and emergency surgery. Conflicts of interest: none declared

Abstract

The immune system provides the body with both non-specific and specific defence against pathogens. It can recognize foreign from self. The immune system is composed of lines of defence and can mount responses by cellular and humoral mechanisms. It also has memory, allowing a quicker and heightened response on subsequent exposure. It achieves these effects by a complex interaction between the clotting, complement and kinin systems, endothelial cells and the cells and proteins of the immune system.

Keywords: B lymphocyte, humoral, immunity, phagocytosis, T lymphocyte