Here are some reasons that the immune system should distinguish between “self” and “non-self”:
Preventing Autoimmunity: If the immune system fails to recognize “self” components, it may mistakenly attack the body’s own cells and tissues, leading to autoimmune diseases. Disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and type 1 diabetes result from the immune system targeting its own cells, causing inflammation and tissue damage.
Tolerance Development: During the development of the immune system, lymphocytes undergo a process to verify that the cells accurately distinguish between self and non-self antigens. Usually, lymphocytes that recognize “self” components do not survive the selection phase of development. This process ensures that the immune cells do not respond aggressively to the body’s own proteins. Failure in this tolerance mechanism can lead to autoimmune reactions.
Preserving Healthy Tissues: The immune system’s primary function is to defend against pathogens. Recognizing and tolerating self-antigens allow the immune system to focus its responses on external threats while sparing the body’s healthy tissues from unnecessary damage.
Preventing Chronic Inflammation: Mistakenly targeting self-components can lead to chronic inflammation, which is associated with various diseases. Recognizing self from non-self helps the immune system avoid persistent activation and inflammation that can contribute to conditions such as atherosclerosis, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and chronic inflammatory disorders.
Next Topic: Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses
Source: ChatGPT response prompted and edited by Joel Graff.
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