Auto-immune Diseases

Question 1

How do autoimmune diseases arise?

Answer 1

• usual control process are interrupted allowing lymphocytes that recognise self as non-self
• when there is a mutation or change in a tissue/cell so it’s no longer recognised as self

Question 2

What is tolerance in respect to T-cells?

Answer 2

It’s prevention of an immune response against a particular antigen. Example body is tolerant of self antigens so doesn’t attack them

Question 3

What is central tolerance?

Answer 3

When T-cell matures in the thymus, they’re reactivity to self is checked. If they react they die if the don’t attack the survive positive selection

Question 4

What is peripheral tolerance?

Answer 4

Lymphocytes have their anergy for self so it can’t recognise them at all.