barrier immune system

Examples of barrier immune system in the following topics:

• Skin and Mucosae (Surface Barriers)

  • While it performs a wide range of functions, including sensation, heat regulation, control of evaporation, storage, synthesis, absorption, and water resistance, but its innate immune system functions as the barrier immune system are the most critical.
  • In humans, the outer covering of the body consists of the skin and mucosae, which together make up the barrier immune system.
  • Together, the skin and mucosae form the the barrier immune system, technically considered a component of the innate immune system.
  • The barrier system also includes chemical barriers that prevent pathogen entry.
  • Fortunately, other mechanisms of the innate and adaptive immune systems defend the body when the barrier system fails.

• Nonrespiratory Air Movements

  • This system works to regulate blood pressure and blood volume by changing the amount of water retained by the kidneys.
  • The epithelial cells and macrophages of the lungs secrete many molecules that have immune system functions.
  • They are used to kill pathogens after being engulfed (phagocytized) by immune cells.
  • They can damage and inhibit pathogens and are considered a barrier component of the immune system.
  • The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is dependent on ACE from the lungs to regulate blood pressure.

• Protection

  • The skin provides an overlaying protective barrier from the environment and pathogens while contributing to the adaptive immune system.
  • These cells help our immune system fight off infectious biological agents, like bacteria that try to get further into our body through skin that may have been compromised by physical damage. 
  • Describe the ways in which the integumentary system protects the body

• Kidney Transplant

  • The procedure was done between identical twins to eliminate any problems of an immune reaction.
  • The major barrier to organ transplants between genetically non-identical patients lay in the recipient's immune system, which would treat a transplanted kidney as a "non-self" and immediately or chronically reject it.
  • Thus, having medications to suppress the immune system was essential.
  • However, suppressing an individual's immune system places that individual at greater risk of infection and cancer (particularly skin cancer and lymphoma), in addition to the side effects of the medications.
  • Prednisolone suppresses the immune system, but its long-term use at high doses causes a multitude of side effects, including glucose intolerance and diabetes, weight gain, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, hypercholesterolemia, and cataract formation.

• Burns

  • In the latter system, burns are classified as first, second, third, or fourth degree burns based on the depth of injury to the dermis.
  • Infection is likely caused by impaired resistance from disruption of the skin's mechanical integrity by the burn and generalized immune suppression.
  • As a deep burn starts to heal, the skin barrier is replaced by eschar.
  • Migration of immune cells is hampered by destruction of the vasculature, and there is a release of inflammatory intermediaries that impede the immune response.
  • Eschar also restricts distribution of systemically administered antibiotics because of its avascularity.

• Active and Passive Humoral Immunity

  • The humoral immune response is the aspect of immunity that is mediated by secreted antibodies.
  • The humoral immune response (HIR) is the aspect of immunity that is mediated by secreted antibodies produced by B cells.
  • There are two types of humoral immunity, active and passive humoral immunity.
  • Active humoral immunity refers to any form of immunity that occurs as a result of the formation of an adaptive immune response from the body's own immune system.
  • Artificial active immunity is the result of immunization from vaccination.

• Types of Adaptive Immunity

  • The adaptive immune system mounts a stronger, antigen-specific immune response after the innate immune response fails to prevent a pathogen from causing an infection.
  • There are two subdivisions of the adaptive immune system: cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity.
  • Type 2 helper T cells are included in the humoral immune system because they present antigens to immature B-cells, which undergo proliferation to become specific to the presented antigen.
  • Six different classes of antibodies provide distinct functions and interact with different cells in the immune system.
  • Mast cells and eosinophils are considered part of the humoral immune system because they can be sensitized towards certain antigens through circulating immunoglobin E (IgE), a specific type of antibody produced by B cells.

• Overview of Adaptive Immunity

  • The adaptive immune system is composed of highly-specialized systemic cells and processes that eliminate or prevent pathogenic growth.
  • The adaptive immune system, also known as the specific immune system, is composed of highly-specialized systemic cells and processes that eliminate or prevent pathogenic growth.
  • The adaptive immune system works to protect and heal the body when the innate immune system fails.
  • The adaptive immune system starts to work after the innate immune system is activated.
  • The major functions of the adaptive immune system include:

• Immunodeficiencies

  • Immunodeficiency is a state where the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease is impaired or absent.
  • Immunodeficiency (or immune deficiency) is a state in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease is compromised or absent entirely.
  • Most cases of immunodeficiency are acquired (secondary) but some people are born with a defective immune system, or primary immunodeficiency.
  • As an anti-rejection protocol, transplant patients take medications to suppress their immune system, as do some patients suffering from an over-active immune system.
  • HIV directly infects a small number of T helper cells, and also impairs other immune system responses indirectly.

• Hypersensitivity

  • A hypersensitivity reaction refers to an overreactive immune system triggered by allergies and autoimmunity.
  • Hypersensitivity (also called hypersensitivity reaction) refers to undesirable reactions produced by the normal immune system, including allergies and autoimmunity, and are commonly mediated by antibodies.
  • Hypersensitivity reactions require a pre-sensitized (immune) state of the host .
  • Immediate Hypersensitivity (Type I) is an immediate response to an allergen (a foreign substance that poses no danger in and of itself yet is treated as an antigen) that the immune system has had prior exposure to.
  • Immune Complex Hypersensitivity (Type III) is an immune response to immune complexes (antigen-antibody complexes) that become deposited in a given area.