Non-specific immunity

Here's a structured summary connecting these key terms under Non-Specific (Innate) Immunity:

### 1. Physical and Chemical Barriers

- Innate immunity – The body's first line of defense, providing immediate but non-specific protection.

- Epithelium – Layers of tightly packed cells forming a protective barrier (e.g., skin, mucous membranes).

- Hair – Traps pathogens and debris, preventing entry.

- Exocrine secretions – Fluids like sweat, tears, mucus, and stomach acid that wash away or destroy microbes.

### 2. Cellular Defenses: Phagocytes & Immune Cells

- Phagocytes – Cells that engulf and digest pathogens.

- Neutrophils – The most abundant phagocytes; first responders to infections.

- Monocytes/macrophages – Monocytes mature into macrophages, which consume pathogens and dead cells.

- Dendritic cells – Capture antigens and present them to adaptive immune cells.

- Diapedesis – The movement of white blood cells out of blood vessels into tissues.

- Chemotaxis – The movement of immune cells toward (positive) or away from (negative) a chemical signal.

### 3. Natural Killer (NK) Cells & Tumor Immunity

- Perforins – Proteins that punch holes in infected or abnormal cells.

- Granzymes – Enzymes that enter through perforin-made pores to induce apoptosis.

- Tumor-specific antigens – Unique markers found on cancer cells.

- Cancer cells – Abnormal cells that evade immune detection or uncontrolled cell growth.

### 4. Antimicrobial Proteins

- Interferons – Proteins that interfere with viral replication and activate immune responses.

- Complement – A system of proteins that enhances immune responses.

- Opsonization – Coating pathogens to enhance phagocytosis.

- Cytolysis – The destruction of pathogens by forming pores in their membranes.

- Elimination of immune complexes – Clearing antibody-antigen clusters from circulation.

### 5. Inflammation & Fever

- Inflammatory response – A protective reaction to injury or infection.

- Mast cells & Basophils – Release histamine and other chemicals to trigger inflammation.

- Histamine – Causes blood vessel dilation, increasing permeability.

- Kinins – Promote inflammation and attract immune cells.

- Pyrogens – Substances that trigger fever by affecting the hypothalamus.

- Fever – An elevated body temperature that slows pathogen growth and enhances immune function.

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