The Innate Immune Response - Essay Example

The defense mechanism is categorized into three types; i. External barriers, comprising of skin, nostril hairs, etc. which try to prevent the pathogens from entering the body. In fact, the external barriers include physical, mechanical and chemical barriers. For example, skin and nostril hairs are termed as physical barriers; tears and extraction from the genitourinary tract are the forms of mechanical barriers. Similarly, secretion of the skin, eyes, oral cavities and respiratory tracts in the form of sweat, tears, saliva, and mucus containing anti-microbial peptides are the form of chemical barriers.

As the term 'innate' suggests, the innate immune system is the inherent immune system we are born with. In fact, some antigens are also present in our body, but the defense mechanism learns to live with it and together with these types of proteins, the immune system gains strength over time. The innate immune system is entrusted with; The type of innate immunity system, available in the form of protein chemical is known as 'innate humoral immunity'. The body's complement system, interferon, and interleukin are some of the examples of such a system.

The complement proteins together with interferon and antibodies form the all-important white blood cells in the body. The complement system is a defense mechanism involving a group of more than 30 interacting soluble plasma proteins. These cell proteins provide the early warnings by way of triggering inflammation and synthesis of enzymes so that reproduction and multiplication of viruses can be blocked.Allergies and inflammation are the forms of an innate immune response. Redness, swelling, heat, and pain are some of the initial responses of the immune system against the infection.

The innate immunity system tries to highlight the ferocity of the pathogens by such actions. The inflammation occurs when tissues are injured by bacteria, trauma, heat or toxins. The damaged tissues release some chemicals like histamine, serotonin or bradykinin. These chemical substances, in turn, cause the blood vessels to leak fluid into the tissues, which causes swelling. This helps in taking appropriate response e.g. medication and precaution. The innate immune response is generated by the white blood cells, natural killer cells (NK cells).