dendritic cells
The dendritic cell is one of the major means by which innate and adaptive immune systems communicate. It is believed that these cells shape the adpative immune response by the…
monocytes
Cells of the monocytic lineage play an essential role in initiating and maintaining immune responses by acting as antigen-presenting cells. They process and present antigenic peptides via and express costimulatory molecules…
Immune cells
Monocytes Monocytes, unlike granulocytes, are long lived and can differentiate to become tissue resident macrophages and dendritic cells. Cells of the monocytic lineage play an essential role in initiating and…
Defensins
Defensins are small microbial peptides that are classified on the basis of their size and pattern of disulfide bonding into alpha, beta and theta categories. They are produced constitutively or…
Telomere shortening
Telomere Shortening has been reported to be associated with aging. Telomeres consist of repetitive DNA (TTAGCC) in vertebrates at the ends of chromosomes which, together with specific binding proteins, act as protective cap…
MHC II molecules
See also MHC I molecules Structure: and Divsersity Class II MHC genes encode two different polypeptide chains, an ? chain and a ? chain which associate by noncovalent interactions. The peptide…
MHC I molecules
See also Class II MHC molecuels. MHC class I molecules bind cytosolically derived peptides within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and present them at the cell surface to cytotoxic T cells.…
Hypersensitivity reactions
Hypersensitive reactions are inflammatory reactions within the humoral (Types I-III) or cell-mediated branches of the immune system that lead to extensive tissue damage. Inflammation is a complex process, accompanied by the release…
lymphoid organs
The primary lymphoid organs include the bone marrow and thymus. Bone Marrow: is where B maturation occurs. Thymus is where occurs. T cell progenitors formed during hematopoiesis enter the thymus gland and mature…
Innate immunity
Whereas the adaptive immune system arose in evolution less than 500 million years ago and is confined to vertebrates, innate immune responses have been found among both vertebrates and invertebrates, as well…