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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.

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