Immunity they are the mechanisms that our body has to guarantee protection against agents that can damage it. Immunity is guaranteed thanks to our immune or immune system, which is made up of molecules, cells, fabrics and bodies that work together to ensure our protection. Changes in our immunity can make us more susceptible to disease.
We can classify immunity in different ways: innate or adaptive and active or passive. Innate immunity is the one present in all organisms from birth, while adaptive immunity is the one we acquire during life. Active immunity is that which occurs when the individual's own body produces an immune response, while passive immunity is that in which the individual receives antibodies ready, without your immune system being stimulated.
Read more: Immune system - guarantees the protection of our body against foreign substances and pathogens
What is immunity?
Immunity is a word derived from Latin, immunities, a term used to refer to people who were free to pay taxes to Roman senators. The term immunity currently refers to
ability of our body to recognize foreign agents and provoke a response against that agent, preventing him from harming us. O immune system, also called the immune system, it is what guarantees our immunity. It is made up of different organs, tissues and cells that act differently in the body's defense.Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
Innate or acquired immunity
We can classify immunity as innate or acquired (or adaptive). THE innate immunity it is the one that the organism presents since its birth, being completely unspecific. Our body's mechanical barrier and cells, such as macrophages, Natural Killer, neutrophils and dendritic cells, are elements that provide this protection.
The innate response always occurs in the same way, regardless of who the offending agent is. As mechanisms of innate immunity, we can mention the phagocytosis performed by some cells of the immune system, skin resistance and the release of inflammatory mediators.
THE acquired or adaptive immunity, in turn, is specific and develops during the individual's lifetime as he comes into contact with invading agents. Acquired immunity comes into play when the innate is not efficient enough to guarantee the body's protection. When the individual comes into contact with the invading agent, a series of events occur, leading to the activation of specific cells and the production of antibodies. This immunity can be classified into humoral and cellular.
THE humoral immunity involves the production of antibodies, proteins synthesized by plasma cells, which are formed by the differentiation of B lymphocytes. THE cell immunity, in turn, is the one that happens due to the action of T lymphocytes.
Active and passive immunity
We can also classify immunity as emactive and passive. in immunity active, we have the action of the organism itself to be able to defeat an invading agent, that is, it occurs when our body has contact with a foreign agent and develops an immunological reaction. in immunity passive, the body does not develop an immune reaction. What happens, in this case, is that the organism receives the products of this reaction, such as antibodies, ready-made.
Both active and passive immunity can be classified into natural or artificial. Natural active immunity occurs when we get sick, for example. Artificial active immunity, on the other hand, is the one that occurs as a consequence of vaccination.
When we receive milk from the mother, we have a natural passage of antibodies to the baby, therefore, it is a case of natural passive immunity. Artificial passive immunity occurs when the person receives ready-made antibodies, being very useful in diseases that need rapid treatment, such as tetanus disease.
Read too:Antigen, antibody and vaccination
immunosuppression and immunosuppression
Immunosuppression and immunosuppression are two important terms when we talk about immunity. We say that an individual is immunodepressed when the immune system has a reduced capacity to generate a response against aggressive agents. HIV infection (virus that causes AIDS) is responsible for triggering immunosuppression, as the virus attacks cells of the immune system, impairing the body's defense. In HIV infection, the main cells affected are the CD4+ T lymphocytes.
THE immunosuppression it is an intentionally reduced activity of the immune system. Immunosuppression can be done, for example, when a person receives an organ transplanted, so as to avoid organ rejection. Immunosuppression can also be used to treat autoimmune diseases.
autoimmune diseases
Normally immunity benefits our body, but sometimes the immune system recognizes a structure of your own organism as a foreign agent, attacking him. The situation described is what we call an autoimmune disease. In this sense, we can mention the systemic lupus erythematosus or simply lupus — an inflammatory disease that affects different organs — Hashimoto's thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis and Graves' disease.
Know more: Multiple sclerosis - an autoimmune disease that affects the nervous system
Natural Ways to Improve Immunity
The immune system guarantees our body's protection against a series of infectionsTherefore, its proper functioning is directly related to our health. There are no magic formulas to improve immunity, however, healthy lifestyle habits can help us ensure that this system works better.
Among the measures that we must adopt to improve our immune system, the following stand out:
eat healthily;
Sleep well;
Practice physical exercises;
Hydrate yourself;
Avoid situations that provoke stress.
By Vanessa Sardinha dos Santos
Biology teacher
