Page 7 - Autoimmune diseases

Type 1 or cellular immunity is the immune

response that is effective when a microorganism

has invaded the cells. This includes viral and fungal

infections.

Type 2 or humoral immunity is more directed at

microorganisms found in the blood or in the

extracellular space (The fluidic space which

surrounds each of your cells). This type of immune

response is better at dealing with bacteria and

parasites.

The immune system is designed to be flexible

and adaptable. It should be able to oscillate

between type 1 and type 2 responses depending on

what the body needs. As example, if you develop a

virus, the body should initiate a type 1 response and

direct its resources to that type 1 response and not

to a type 2 response.

Once that viral infection has been resolved, it

should go back to having the flexibility of having

either a type 1 or type 2 response depending on

what the body needs. This is theory, however, and

sometimes the body loses this flexibility to make

the appropriate response and gets stuck in one type

of response. This is called regulation rigidity if it is