Immune tolerance or immunological tolerance is the process by which the immune system does not attack an antigen. It can be either 'natural' or 'self tolerance', in which the body does not mount an immune response to self antigens, or 'induced tolerance', in which tolerance to external antigens can be created by manipulating the immune system. It occurs in three forms: central tolerance, peripheral tolerance and acquired tolerance.
Genetic defects in these processes lead to autoimmunity, such as in Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1) and immunodysregulation polyendocrinopathy enteropathy X-linked syndrome (IPEX).
Read more about Immune Tolerance: Central Tolerance, Peripheral Tolerance, Acquired Tolerance, Immune Tolerance To Allografts
Famous quotes containing the words immune and/or tolerance:
“The moral immune system of this country has been weakened and attacked, and the AIDS virus is the perfect metaphor for it. The malignant neglect of the last twelve years has led to breakdown of our country’s immune system, environmentally, culturally, politically, spiritually and physically.”
—Barbra Streisand (b. 1942)
“... the structure of our public morality crashed to earth. Above its grave a tombstone read, “Be tolerant—even of evil.” Logically the next step would be to say to our commonwealth’s criminals, “I disagree that it’s all right to rob and murder, but naturally I respect your opinion.” Tolerance is only complacence when it makes no distinction between right and wrong.”
—Sarah Patton Boyle, U.S. civil rights activist and author. The Desegregated Heart, part 2, ch. 2 (1962)