The Immune System

Modern biotherapy has been in use for some 30 years. The first types of biotherapy were nonspecific stimulators of the immune response, but advances in genetic engineering are allowing the mass production of pure biological products which are now being tested as pharmaceutical agents. Biotherapy connotes the administration of products (1) that are coded by the mammalian genome; (2) that modify the expression of mammalian genes; or (3) that stimulate the immune system. In this chapter the discussion of the immune system will be limited primarily to topics relevant to cancer or autoimmune diseases. Because understanding the new biological agents requires an understanding of both the immune response and the molecular basis of oncogenesis, this chapter first presents a summary of the structure and function of the immune system. Following a discussion of immune responses, and the cells involved in these responses, will be a discussion on the current concepts of oncogenesis, particularly oncogenes and growth factors. Because research efforts are beginning to identify many biological proteins as having a role in autoimmune and other diseases, a brief introduction to autoimmune diseases is also included at the end of the chapter

PlGF, immune system and hypertension

The huge diffusion of hypertension and its associated complications has a significant impact on public health [1]. However, despite the high prevalence of essential hypertension and many efforts of research, the basic pathophysiological causes remain puzzling

The avian lung-associated immune system

The lung is a major target organ for numerous viral and bacterial diseases of poultry. To control this constant threat birds have developed a highly organized lung-associated immune system. In this review the basic features of this system are described and their functional properties discussed. Most prominent in the avian lung is the bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) which is located at the junctions between the primary bronchus and the caudal secondary bronchi. BALT nodules are absent in newly hatched birds, but gradually developed into the mature structures found from 6–8 weeks onwards. They are organized into distinct B and T cell areas, frequently comprise germinal centres and are covered by a characteristic follicle-associated epithelium. The interstitial tissue of the parabronchial walls harbours large numbers of tissue macrophages and lymphocytes which are scattered throughout tissue. A striking feature of the avian lung is the low number of macrophages on the respiratory surface under non-inflammatory conditions. Stimulation of the lung by live bacteria but not by a variety of bacterial products elicits a significant efflux of activated macrophages and, depending on the pathogen, of heterophils. In addition to the cellular components humoral defence mechanisms are found on the lung surface including secretory IgA. The compartmentalisation of the immune system in the avian lung into BALT and non BALTregions should be taken into account in studies on the host-pathogen interaction since these structures may have distinct functional properties during an immune response

Immunization and Aging: a Learning Process in the Immune Network

The immune system can be thought as a complex network of different interacting elements. A cellular automaton, defined in shape-space, was recently shown to exhibit self-regulation and complex behavior and is, therefore, a good candidate to model the immune system. Using this model to simulate a real immune system we find good agreement with recent experiments on mice. The model exhibits the experimentally observed refractory behavior of the immune system under multiple antigen presentations as well as loss of its plasticity caused by aging.Comment: 4 latex pages, 3 postscript figures attached. To be published in Physical Review Letters (Tentatively scheduled for 5th Oct. issue

SIMMUNE, a tool for simulating and analyzing immune system behavior

We present a new approach to the simulation and analysis of immune system behavior. The simulations that can be done with our software package called SIMMUNE are based on immunological data that describe the behavior of immune system agents (cells, molecules) on a microscopial (i.e. agent-agent interaction) scale by defining cellular stimulus-response mechanisms. Since the behavior of the agents in SIMMUNE can be very flexibly configured, its application is not limited to immune system simulations. We outline the principles of SIMMUNE's multiscale analysis of emergent structure within the simulated immune system that allow the identification of immunological contexts using minimal a priori assumptions about the higher level organization of the immune system.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figure

Our Impressive Immune System: More Than a Defense

Most likely the immune system was put into place in the original human body design. We know from Exodus 20:11 and other verses that God completed His work of creation in six days. Therefore, the human body and its functional parts, including the components of the immune system, must have been part of the original creation. God said that all He had made was very good (Genesis 1:31). Since there were no pathogens (germs), parasites, or diseases prior the Edenic Fall and subsequent Curse, the immune system may have functioned differently in that world unmarred by sin and death. The immune system serves more than just to “defend” against disease. The immune system was designed to interact with microbes and cleanse the body of aged, dying, dead red blood cells and bacteria even in the Pre-Fall World. There are toll-like receptors in the immune system that have “sensory” function, as well as defense functions in animals and humans. The immune system in Peyer’s Patches in the GI tract assists the normal development of the intestine and regulates the normal microbiome. Consider a sheep dog designed to positively interact with sheep (herd them); they only “defend” with teeth when a predator (e.g. a wolf) approaches. The immune system in a pre-Fall world (Gillen and Sherwin 2013) worked to positively assist body development (as will be discussed); in the post-Fall world, they also defend against pathogens. This is how most creation biologists view the immune system. Immunology is that branch of biology that involves studying how the body is designed to protect itself from agents of disease called pathogens. The word immune comes from the Latin root word that means “freedom or protection from taxes or burdens.” This amazing system battles disease in a manner that is so complex and intricate that the most gifted imagination could not envision such incredible functions. In today’s world (post-Fall), the primary role of our immune system is to recognize pathogens and parasites, then to destroy them. Three main methods of destruction include baths of caustic digestive enzymes that cause rapid perforation with submicroscopic holes, overwhelming organisms with sticky proteins, and lastly by ingestion by macrophages (amoeba-like cells). In addition, the immune system is designed to prevent the proliferation of mutant cells, such as various cancers. When this system malfunctions or when a boundary is breached, it can result in localized or systemic infections, or worse, death