Multiple Sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that randomly attacks the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). ... The immune system -- a complex network of specialized cells and organs -- defends the body against attacks by "foreign" invaders such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. ... Killer T cells, on the other hand, directly attack diseased or damaged body cells by binding to them and bombarding them with lethal chemicals called cytokines. ( Kaser) Since T cells can attack cells directly, they must be able to discriminate between "self...

• Word Count: 3706
• Approx Pages: 15
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that randomly attacks the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). ... The immune system -- a complex network of specialized cells and organs -- defends the body against attacks by "foreign" invaders such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. ... Killer T cells, on the other hand, directly attack diseased or damaged body cells by binding to them and bombarding them with lethal chemicals called cytokines. ( Kaser) Since T cells can attack cells directly, they must be able to discriminate between "self" cells (those of th...

• Word Count: 4423
• Approx Pages: 18
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

These regulatory T cells prevent the immune system from attacking the body's own cells as well as common environmental agents. However, if the immune system lacks exposure to common pathogens and environmental agents there will be no regulatory T cell production, therefore, there will be nothing to prevent the immune system from attacking the body's own cells and common airborne particles. When the immune system attacks the body's own cells, autoimmune disease has begun, and when the immune system attacks common airborne particles a histamine response begins, causing an allergic...

• Word Count: 3045
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Paul Ehrlich introduced the antibody formation theory explaining how antibodies, responsible for identifying and neutralizing foreign objects in our organisms, are being formed and the notion of autoimmunity, failure of an organism to recognize it's own components, resulting in an attack towards the self, which he named horror autotoxicus. ... For example, a description of the immune system in one of the academic coursebooks is as follows: 'The immune system is a complex network of specialized cells and organs that has evolved to protect the body against attacks by "foreign&quo...

• Word Count: 3282
• Approx Pages: 13
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate