The different mechanisms through which immune tolerance to antigens can occur, and their relative importance in preventing the development of allergic disease

Scientific Essay from the year 2014 in the subject Medicine - Anatomy, Physiology, Cytology, grade: 1st, Imperial College London, language: English, abstract: Immune tolerance is the inhibition or absence of an immune response leaving only protective and beneficial immunity intact. Tolerance reduces response to both self and non-self antigens, which are substances which stimulate antibody production. Tolerance breakdown causes immune disease; failed self-tolerance causes incorrect identification of self as foreign, causing autoimmune disease. Failure of induced tolerance causes overzealous identification of harmless foreign substances as a threat, causing hypersensitivities. This essay explores the immunological mechanisms by which tolerance occurs, and their role in preventing the development of allergic disease.