Abstract
By definition, autoimmunity is a circumvention of self-tolerance. Considering the complex network of control mechanisms which initiate and regulate immune responses to foreign agents and maintain the natural state of self-tolerance, autoimmunity may result from a weakening of this delicate equilibrium at various levels. Several hypotheses have therefore been put forward to explain the 'active' immunization process against self-constituents which are normally tolerated.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 37-57 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | British Medical Bulletin |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 1989 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
- Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty
- Applied Mathematics
- Mathematics(all)
- Statistics and Probability
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)