immune response

immune response   n.  An integrated bodily response to an antigen, especially one mediated by lymphocytes and involving recognition of antigens by specific antibodies or previously sensitized lymphocytes.

Main Entry: immune response
Function: noun
: a bodily response to an antigen that occurs when lymphocytes identify the antigenic molecule as foreign and induce theformation of antibodies and lymphocytes capable of reacting with it and rendering it harmless called also immune reaction

immune response n.
An integrated bodily response to an antigen, especially one mediated by lymphocytes and involving recognition of antigens by specific antibodies or previously sensitized lymphocytes.

immune response   (ĭ-myn')  Pronunciation Key  A protective response of the body's immune system to an antigen, especially a microorganism or virus that causes disease. The immune response involves the action of lymphocytes that deactivate antigens either by stimulating the production of antibodies (humoral immune response) or by a direct attack on foreign cells (cell-mediated immune response.) An inability to produce a normal immune response results in immunodeficiency diseases such as AIDS. See also cell-mediated immune response, humoral immune response.