What Are The Autoimmune Diseases?

Under normal conditions, the body's immune mechanism is able to recognize its own tissues and chemicals. It normally does not produce either T-cells or B-cells against its own substances. Such recognition of the self is called immunologic tolerance.

At times, however, immunologic tolerance breaks down and the body has difficulty in discriminating between its own antigens and foreign antigens. This loss of immunologic tolerance leads to autoimmune disease (autoimmunity). Such diseases are immunologic responses mediated by antibodies against a person's own tissue antigens.

Among the human autoimmune diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, systematic lupus erthematosus, thyroiditis, rheumatoid fever, haemolytic and pernicious anaemia, glomerulonephritis, and myasthenia gravis etc.

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