But the immune system also monitors the body's own processes. For example, it is also involved in eliminating pathologically altered cells.
Immune system – meaning and function for humans
For example, whether or not we get an infection and how it progresses usually depends on the performance of our immune system. If our defences are strong enough, we often barely notice anything of the manifold processes taking place in our body. However, if our immunological defence function is insufficient, we become ill.
There can be several reasons for an inadequate immune function:
Pre-existing diseases or certain medications can make us vulnerable. But also an “unhealthy” lifestyle with an unbalanced diet, constant stress, lack of exercise and lack of sleep can make our immune system vulnerable.
Our immune system has a whole range of different ways to fight off pathogenic microorganisms. A distinction is made between a specific and non-specific immune response.
The non-specific immune response, also known as innate immunity, is the first shield against many infections – but it does not specialize in specific pathogens. Our skin, mucous membranes, stomach acid and urine as well as white blood cells and certain signalling substances are part of the non-specific immune response.
The specific immune response, on the other hand, develops only after contact with certain pathogens and is therefore also referred to as the “acquired” immune response. The immune system forms memory cells so that the body can react immediately in the event of a repeated attack by the same pathogen.
Many of the body’s organs are also involved in the immune response. If microbes succeed in penetrating the body, defence cells are formed in the bone marrow, which are further developed in the lymphatic organs such as the thymus, tonsils or lymph nodes. Find out here how the body’s immune system works.
But sometimes there can also be disorders in the immune system, which can then manifest as allergies or autoimmune diseases. In the case of allergies, the immune system overreacts to foreign substances, while in the case of autoimmune diseases, mistakenly targeted immune cells attack their own body.
On the topic of children: young children in particular often suffer from one cold after the next. In children, the immune system first has to build up slowly and form antibodies – so with each infection, the immune system “learns”. Learn how the immune system works in children and why diseases strengthen the immune system!
