TY  - CHAP
M1  - Book, Section
TI  - Overview of Immunity
A1  - Levinson, Warren
A1  - Chin-Hong, Peter
A1  - Joyce, Elizabeth A.
A1  - Nussbaum, Jesse
A1  - Schwartz, Brian
PY  - 2022
T2  - Review of Medical Microbiology & Immunology: A Guide to Clinical Infectious Diseases, 17e
AB  - The  main  function  of  the  immune  system  is  to  prevent  or  limit  infections  due  to  viruses,  bacteria,  fungi,  protozoa,  and  worms.  The  first  line  of  defense  against  microorganisms  is  the  barrier  formed  by  intact  skin  and  mucous  membranes.  If  microorganisms  breach  this  defense,  then  a  second  line  of  defense  can  rapidly  detect  foreign  material  and  destroy  harmful  agents.  These  components  of  the  immune  system  are  active  even  before  an  infectious  exposure,  and  therefore,  this  arm  of  host  defense  is  called  innate  immunity  (Table  57–1).  Innate  immunity  works  immediately  upon  the  first  encounter  with  a  microorganism.  The  innate  arm  is  nonspecific  in  that  it  can  recognize  patterns  many  microorganisms  share  (described  in  more  detail  in  Chapter  58).  For  example,  a  neutrophil  can  sense,  ingest,  and  destroy  many  different  kinds  of  bacteria  by  exploiting  features  common  among  bacterial  cells.  
SN  - 
PB  - McGraw-Hill Education
CY  - New York, NY
Y2  - 2023/06/04
UR  - accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1190864431
ER  -