Tissue injury or infection results in the development of a rapid local inflammatory response, a cascade of events necessary for the clearance of invading microbes, the minimization of tissue damage, and finally the restoration of normal tissue function, or resolution. The resolution phase occurs without compromising host defenses. Similarly to other biological cascades, the inflammatory […]
Dendritic cells and T lymphocytes play together to ensure immunological tolerance—a functional state in which T lymphocytes are unable to respond to certain antigens. Why is immunological tolerance necessary? The answer is simple: T lymphocytes must be able to direct their destructive potential to infected cells and cancer cells while, at the same time, avoiding […]
Memory can be defined as the capacity of a system (usually the brain) to store and recall information on previously encountered events. Immunological memory—which can be induced by either natural infection or by a vaccine—refers to the ability of the immune system to respond more rapidly and effectively to an infectious microbe that has been […]