Immunology is the study of the immune system of an organism and how it protects the body from pathogens and other relevant harmful agents.
It is one of the most important fields of medical and biological sciences because by studying immune systems and immune responses against pathogens, we can treat various immune disorders and save the lives of millions of people around the world. Immunology deals with processes and pathways involved in fighting against physical, chemical and biological invasions and protecting the body from diseases and infections.
What is Immunity?
Immunity means “resistance, resilience or protection”.
Immunity is the capacity of the body to resist or fight against pathogens, cancerous cells or dead cells. Pathogens may be bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, poisons or allergens. These pathogens cause infections and various immune disorders so our body require immunity against these pathogens.
What is an Immune System?
The immune system is a combination of structures and systems that have evolved to work against pathogens. The body has specialized structures and processes that control and destroy pathogens by working with other parts of the body. These specialized structures or organs are the spleen, lymph nodes, thymus, white blood cells or leukocytes, bone marrow, etc.
These organs produce specialized cells of the immune system which work together to destroy or remove pathogens from the body. The body contains more bacteria inside than outside anywhere. Some bacteria are beneficial such as bacteria present in the gastrointestinal tract that help in food digestion while some bacteria are harmful and cause disease so our immune system protects against these bacteria.
Who is an Immunologist?
A person who has a specialization in immunology is called an immunologist. Many immunologists work in pharmaceutical industries, research laboratories and academic fields. Clinical immunologists are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of immune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, pernicious anemia, etc. and allergic disorders such as asthma, eczema, hay fever, insect sting allergies, drug allergies, etc.