Which of the following is characteristic of the mucosal immune system?
Ans. (d)Because the mucosal immune system is constantly exposed to so many nonself epitopes that are essentially harmless, it is tolerant of most of them. Although it can respond to microbes that pose a pathogenic threat, the mucosal system generally avoids the development of chronic inflammation because of the damage that could be inflicted on the delicate mucosal linings. The immunologic environment is generally described as more Th - 2 like than Th - 1 like. IgG is present at far lower levels than is IgA.
A vigorous response is made to all nonself antigens encountered
Chronic inflammation makes an inhospitable environment for microbes
IL-2 and IFN-g contribute to a Th-1 like environment
Tolerance to foreign antigens is the norm rather than the exception
Immunology