Walden University The Basics of Immunity & Complement System Research Paper
The Basics of Immunity
Until you get sick, you might not realize the importance of immunity in maintaining your health. Various immune cells, proteins, and chemicals, referred to as immune factors, protect you from potentially harmful environmental elements. As a result, some people may have a natural resistance or innate immunity to some diseases. For example, there are diseases that are prevalent in other species that do not pose a danger to humans such as feline leukemia. Yet, the body lacks immunity to other diseases such as small pox or measles. Regarding these diseases, humans require adaptive immunity in the form of a vaccination to prevent contraction of these diseases. Consider how your immune system and its various immune factors protect you from the numerous diseases you come into contact with daily.
For this Discussion, review this week’s Learning Resources. Then consider the similarities and differences between innate and adaptive immunity at the cellular level. Finally, select two immune factors from the following list that are involved in adaptive immunity, and consider how they are affected by adaptive immunity:
- T-cells
- B-cells
- Natural Killer cells
- Macrophage
- Neutrophil
- Eosinophil
- Basophil
- Complement System
- Cytokines
- Antigens
- Immunoglobulin
- Interferon
With these thoughts in mind:
Post by Day 4 a comparison of innate and adaptive immunity. Include an example of a disease for which individuals may have innate immunity and a disease for which individuals may have adaptive immunity. Then, explain how adaptive immunity techniques might affect the two immune factors you selected. Finally, explain one method a health psychology professional might use to improve adaptive immunity in professional practice and why it might be effective. Be specific.
Be sure to support your post and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.
Readings
- Abbas, A. K., Lichtman, A. H. & Pillai, S. (2016). Basic immunology: Functions and disorders of the immune system (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
- Chapter 1, “Introduction to the Immune System” (pp. 1–24)
- Chapter 2, “Innate Immunity” (pp. 27-52)
- Chapter 3, “Antigen Capture and Presentation to Lymphocytes” (pp. 55-77)
- Chapter 4, “Antigen Recognition in the Adaptive Immune System” (pp. 79-101)
- Friedman, H., Klein, T.W., & Friedman, A.L. (Eds.). (1995). Psychoneuroimmunology, stress, and infection, Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Copyright 1996 by TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP LLC – BOOKS. Reprinted by permission of TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP LLC – BOOKS via the Copyright Clearance Center.- Chapter 1, “Historical Perspectives on Psychoneuroimmunology” (pp. 1–21)
- Bonneau, R. H., Padgett, D. A., & Sheridan, J. F. (2007). Twenty years of psychoneuroimmunology and viral infections in brain, behavior, and immunity. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 21(3), 273–280.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. - Irwin, M. R. (2007). Human psychoneuroimmunology: 20 years of discovery. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 22(2), 129–139.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. - Kiecolt-Glaser, J.K., & Glaser R. (1989). Psychoneuroimmunology: Past, present, and future. Health Psychology, 8(6), 677–682.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. - Cancer Prevention Research Center. (n. d.). Transtheoretical model. Retrieved from http://web.uri.edu/cprc/detailed-overview/
