SELF TOLERANCE Meaning and
Definition
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Self-tolerance refers to the immunological ability of an organism to recognize and tolerate its own cells, tissues, and molecules while mounting an immune response against foreign or non-self antigens. It is a fundamental concept in immunology that ensures that the immune system does not target or attack the body's own cells, thereby preventing the development of autoimmune diseases.
The mechanisms underlying self-tolerance involve a series of processes that teach immune cells to distinguish between self and non-self antigens. These processes include central tolerance, which occurs in the thymus (T cells) and bone marrow (B cells), and peripheral tolerance, occurring in secondary lymphoid organs and other tissues. In central tolerance, immature immune cells that recognize self-antigens with high affinity are deleted or undergo changes resulting in less autoreactivity. Peripheral tolerance mechanisms, on the other hand, work to suppress or regulate any remaining autoreactive immune cells that escape central tolerance.
Key players in maintaining self-tolerance include regulatory T cells, which can suppress the activation and function of self-reactive immune cells, and antigen-presenting cells, which present self-antigens in a manner that promotes tolerance rather than immune activation. Additionally, various checkpoints and signaling pathways within the immune system help prevent the activation of self-reactive immune cells.
Loss of self-tolerance can result in the malfunctioning of the immune system and the development of autoimmune diseases, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues and organs, leading to chronic inflammation and tissue damage. Understanding the mechanisms of self-tolerance is crucial in developing therapies to treat and prevent autoimmune diseases.
Common Misspellings for SELF TOLERANCE
- aelf tolerance
- zelf tolerance
- xelf tolerance
- delf tolerance
- eelf tolerance
- welf tolerance
- swlf tolerance
- sslf tolerance
- sdlf tolerance
- srlf tolerance
- s4lf tolerance
- s3lf tolerance
- sekf tolerance
- sepf tolerance
- seof tolerance
- seld tolerance
- selc tolerance
- selv tolerance
- selg tolerance
- selt tolerance
Etymology of SELF TOLERANCE
The term "self-tolerance" is a combination of two words: "self" and "tolerance".
The word "self" comes from the Old English word "sylf", which means "one's own person, individuality, or essential nature". It has Indo-European roots and is related to the Proto-Germanic word "*selbaz" and the Sanskrit word "svar" (meaning "the higher self").
The word "tolerance" has its roots in the Latin word "tolerantia", which means "endurance, forbearance, tolerance". It is derived from the verb "tolerare", which means "to bear, endure, or tolerate".
Combining these two words, "self-tolerance" refers to the ability of an individual's immune system to recognize and tolerate its own cells and molecules without generating an immune response.
