Integrative Approaches To Manage Allergy, Eczema and Skin Health

92 Pages·2017·3.76 MB·English

Integrative Approaches To
Manage Allergy, Eczema and Skin
Health
Dr Barry W. Sunshine
The IMMUNE SYSTEM
The IMMUNE SYSTEM
The immune system is a diffuse, complex network of
interacting cells, cell products, and cell-forming
tissues that protects the body from pathogens and
other foreign substances, destroys infected and
malignant cells, and removes cellular debris: the
system includes the thymus, spleen, lymph nodes
and lymph tissue, stem cells, white blood cells,
antibodies, and lymphokines.
Function of the Immune System
• Seek out and destroy what is considered to be
“non-self”
• The two main targets are:
• Pathogens: bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses
• Abnormal cells: Cancer and defective cells

Antigen
• Any non-self substance which can trigger an
immune response
• The portion of the substance which triggers the
immune response is called an “epitope”

IMMUNE SYSTEM

Has two primary sides
:

• The innate immune system
• The adaptive immune system
Innate Immune System
• Pre programmed system
• Inherited from parents at birth
• Takes care of common threats