FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 343:37-49 July 6, 2000 Number 1 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

	Full Text PDF Purchase this article Editorial by Schwartz, R. S. Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited Related Article Related Article by Delves, P. J. PubMed Citation

The immune system is an organization of cells and molecules with specialized roles in defending against infection. There are two fundamentally different types of responses to invading microbes. Innate (natural) responses occur to the same extent however many times the infectious agent is encountered, whereas acquired (adaptive) responses improve on repeated exposure to a given infection. The innate responses use phagocytic cells (neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages), cells that release inflammatory mediators (basophils, mast cells, and eosinophils), and natural killer cells. The molecular components of innate responses include complement, acute-phase proteins, and cytokines such as the interferons. Acquired responses involve the . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Three Levels of Defense

Immune Recognition

Innate Immune Responses

Cellular Components of Innate Responses

Soluble Factors in Innate Defense

The Acute Inflammatory Response

Acquired Immune Responses

The Structure of Antigen-Specific Molecules

            The B-Cell Receptor and Soluble Antibodies

            The T-Cell Receptor

The Diversity of Antigen Receptors

Clonal Selection

Major Populations of B Cells

T Cells and the Thymus

Tolerance Mechanisms

Source Information

From the Department of Immunology, the Windeyer Institute of Medical Sciences, University College London, London.

References

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Haggie, P. M., Verkman, A. S. (2009). Defective organellar acidification as a cause of cystic fibrosis lung disease: reexamination of a recurring hypothesis. Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol. 296: L859-L867 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Johnston, G. R., Webster, N. R. (2009). Cytokines and the immunomodulatory function of the vagus nerve. Br J Anaesth 102: 453-462 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kato, S., Chmielewski, M., Honda, H., Pecoits-Filho, R., Matsuo, S., Yuzawa, Y., Tranaeus, A., Stenvinkel, P., Lindholm, B. (2008). Aspects of Immune Dysfunction in End-stage Renal Disease. CJASN 3: 1526-1533 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• van Beem, R. T., Noort, W. A., Voermans, C., Kleijer, M., ten Brinke, A., van Ham, S. M., van der Schoot, C. E., Zwaginga, J. J. (2008). The Presence of Activated CD4+ T Cells Is Essential for the Formation of Colony-Forming Unit-Endothelial Cells by CD14+ Cells. J. Immunol. 180: 5141-5148 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kox, M., Pompe, J. C., Pickkers, P., Hoedemaekers, C. W., van Vugt, A. B., van der Hoeven, J. G. (2008). Increased vagal tone accounts for the observed immune paralysis in patients with traumatic brain injury. Neurology 70: 480-485 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Rodriguez-Carreon, A. A., Vega-Memije, E., Moreno-Coutino, G., Lopez-Garcia, L., Dominguez-Cherit, J., Arenas, R. (2008). Simultaneous Erythema Nodosum and Erythema Multiforme After Local Lidocaine Injection. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy 42: 127-130 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• van Weel, V., Toes, R.E.M., Seghers, L., Deckers, M.M.L., de Vries, M.R., Eilers, P.H., Sipkens, J., Schepers, A., Eefting, D., van Hinsbergh, V.W.M., van Bockel, J.H., Quax, P.H.A. (2007). Natural Killer Cells and CD4+ T-Cells Modulate Collateral Artery Development. Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio. 27: 2310-2318 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Haggie, P. M., Verkman, A. S. (2007). Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator-independent Phagosomal Acidification in Macrophages. J. Biol. Chem. 282: 31422-31428 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Silverman, S. Jr. (2007). Mucosal Lesions in Older Adults. Journal of the American Dental Association 138: 41S-46S [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Carter, R. H. (2006). B Cells in Health and Disease. Mayo Clin Proc. 81: 377-384 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Jaffe, E. S. (2006). Pathobiology of Peripheral T-cell Lymphomas. ASH Education Book 2006: 317-322 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Meyer, K. C. (2005). Aging. Proc Am Thorac Soc 2: 433-439 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ramos-Casals, M., Font, J. (2005). Primary Sjogren's syndrome: current and emergent aetiopathogenic concepts. Rheumatology (Oxford) 44: 1354-1367 [Full Text]  
• Dorsch, M., Qiu, Y., Soler, D., Frank, N., Duong, T., Goodearl, A., O'Neil, S., Lora, J., Fraser, C. C. (2005). PK1/EG-VEGF induces monocyte differentiation and activation. J. Leukoc. Biol. 78: 426-434 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wessely, R. (2005). Interference by interferons: Janus faces in vascular proliferative diseases. Cardiovasc Res 66: 433-443 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lau, D., Mollnau, H., Eiserich, J. P., Freeman, B. A., Daiber, A., Gehling, U. M., Brummer, J., Rudolph, V., Munzel, T., Heitzer, T., Meinertz, T., Baldus, S. (2005). Myeloperoxidase mediates neutrophil activation by association with CD11b/CD18 integrins. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102: 431-436 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• de Repentigny, L., Lewandowski, D., Jolicoeur, P. (2004). Immunopathogenesis of Oropharyngeal Candidiasis in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 17: 729-759 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Weatherstone, K. B., Franck, L. S., Klein, N. J. (2003). Are There Opportunities to Decrease Nosocomial Infection by Choice of Analgesic Regimen?: Evidence for Immunity and Pain Interactions. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 157: 1108-1114 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Agusti, A, MacNee, W, Donaldson, K, Cosio, M (2003). Hypothesis: Does COPD have an autoimmune component?. Thorax 58: 832-834 [Full Text]  
• Weyand, C. M., Goronzy, J. J. (2003). Giant-Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica. ANN INTERN MED 139: 505-515 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gessler, P., Pfenninger, J., Pfammatter, J.-P., Carrel, T., Baenziger, O., Dahinden, C. (2003). Plasma levels of interleukin-8 and expression of interleukin-8 receptors on circulating neutrophils and monocytes after cardiopulmonary bypass in children. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 126: 718-725 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Suttmann, H., Lehan, N., Bohle, A., Brandau, S. (2003). Stimulation of Neutrophil Granulocytes with Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Induces Changes in Phenotype and Gene Expression and Inhibits Spontaneous Apoptosis. Infect. Immun. 71: 4647-4656 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Delclaux, C., Azoulay, E. (2003). Inflammatory response to infectious pulmonary injury. Eur Respir J 22: 10s-14s [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Stabile, E., Burnett, M. S., Watkins, C., Kinnaird, T., Bachis, A., la Sala, A., Miller, J. M., Shou, M., Epstein, S. E., Fuchs, S. (2003). Impaired Arteriogenic Response to Acute Hindlimb Ischemia in CD4-Knockout Mice. Circulation 108: 205-210 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lebwohl, M., Christophers, E., Langley, R., Ortonne, J. P., Roberts, J., Griffiths, C. E. M. (2003). An International, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 3 Trial of Intramuscular Alefacept in Patients With Chronic Plaque Psoriasis. Arch Dermatol 139: 719-727 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Weinberg, E. O., Shimpo, M., De Keulenaer, G. W., MacGillivray, C., Tominaga, S.-i., Solomon, S. D., Rouleau, J.-L., Lee, R. T. (2002). Expression and Regulation of ST2, an Interleukin-1 Receptor Family Member, in Cardiomyocytes and Myocardial Infarction. Circulation 106: 2961-2966 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Scheckelhoff, M., Deepe, G. S. Jr. (2002). The Protective Immune Response to Heat Shock Protein 60 of Histoplasma capsulatum Is Mediated by a Subset of V{beta}8.1/8.2+ T Cells. J. Immunol. 169: 5818-5826 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Hjalmarson, A., Fu, M., Mobini, R. (2002). Who are the enemies? Inflammation and autoimmune mechanisms. Eur Heart J Suppl 4: G27-G32 [Abstract]  
• Braun-Fahrlander, C., Riedler, J., Herz, U., Eder, W., Waser, M., Grize, L., Maisch, S., Carr, D., Gerlach, F., Bufe, A., Lauener, R. P., Schierl, R., Renz, H., Nowak, D., von Mutius, E., the Allergy and Endotoxin Study Team, (2002). Environmental Exposure to Endotoxin and Its Relation to Asthma in School-Age Children. NEJM 347: 869-877 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Drisko, J. A. (2002). The Use of Antioxidants in Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies: A Case Report. J. Am. Coll. Nutr. 21: 22-25 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Hsieh, S.-M., Pan, S.-C., Hung, C.-C., Tsai, H.-C., Chen, M.-Y., Lee, C.-N., Chang, S.-C. (2001). Kinetics of Antigen-Induced Phenotypic and Functional Maturation of Human Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells. J. Immunol. 167: 6286-6291 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ada, G. (2001). Vaccines and Vaccination. NEJM 345: 1042-1053 [Full Text]  
• Castle, P. E., Hillier, S. L., Rabe, L. K., Hildesheim, A., Herrero, R., Bratti, M. C., Sherman, M. E., Burk, R. D., Rodriguez, A. C., Alfaro, M., Hutchinson, M. L., Morales, J., Schiffman, M. (2001). An Association of Cervical Inflammation with High-Grade Cervical Neoplasia in Women Infected with Oncogenic Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 10: 1021-1027 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kamradt, T., Mitchison, N. A. (2001). Tolerance and Autoimmunity. NEJM 344: 655-664 [Full Text]