Immunology Explained: Dr. Kanury Rao’s Detailed Analysis

Immunology is one of the leading branches of biology. It includes the study and analysis of the immune system, its components, physiological functions, the biological process, disorders, and more. According to the leading researcher, immunologist, and scholar – Dr. Kanury Rao, immunology is the process where the immune system is studied. Along with this, the study involved the humoral and cell-mediated aspects along with immune responses.

If you are interested and looking for more details about immunology, then you are at the right place. Here we will discuss everything along with the information shared by a reputed immunologist Kanury Rao.

What is the immune system?

The immune system is nothing but a process of the body wherein different organs and cells protect the body from pathogens. As per Mr. Rao, pathogens are the microorganisms that are the root cause of any type of infection i.e. protozoans, fungi, etc. Additionally, a strong immune system also fights against the antigens that elicit the generation of antibodies.

In simple terms, different molecules and cells are there in the immune system that are needed to prevent the growth of any tumorous cell, infectious diseases, and so on. Immune systems’ organs and tissues act like a security force, cells are more like guards, and molecules can be considered bullets and guns to protect the body.

What is the main function of the immune system?

As mentioned above, our immune system is more like a defensive system that is needed to protect the body’s tissues, organs, and cells from invading any type of infection. It functions by identifying the foreign antigens and destroying them. It also kills the disease-causing microbes.

So, what will happen if the immune system is not functioning well or becomes weak? When this scene occurs, you will get infectious diseases like flu and fever more frequently. In severe cases, it can also result in dreadful diseases such as HIV AIDS, cancer, and others – Dr. Kanury Rao.

What are the different types of immune systems?

Do you know that humans have two different types of it? They are mainly classified based on presence during birth or not. These include:

• Innate
• Adaptive

Here are the details about these types:

Innate: This immune system type fights against the microbes so that they do not enter the body. It is composed of proteins and cells that are always there in the body and fight whenever required. As the name suggests, innate immune systems have been present in the body since birth. This immune system comes with certain elements. They are:

• Natural killer cells
• Dendritic cells
• Circulating plasma proteins
• Phagocytic leukocytes
• Physical epithelial barriers

Adaptive: This immune system type is needed to fight pathogens as they are hard to manage through the innate system. It is also called the ‘acquired immune system’ because one acquires it during his/her life. Although its components are not active, they start working if there is any infectious agent in the body.

There are two different types of responses associated with the adaptive immune system:

• Cell-mediated immunity (it is moderated through T lymphocytes)
• Humoral immunity (it is moderated through the antibodies that are developed by the B lymphocytes)

What are immunological diseases?

Any defect in the immune system results in immunological diseases. Sometimes, our immune system becomes hyperactive and starts releasing antibodies and others in an excess amount. When this happens, it will cause anaphylaxis and allergies.

Besides, autoimmune disease is also quite common. In this condition, the immune system forgets the differentiation between the self-cells and non-self-cells. This is quite a drastic condition because the immune system starts attacking the good tissues and cells – Dr. Kanury Rao.

What are the common symptoms of immune system dysfunction?

Kanury Rao, a leading immunologist and researcher has highlighted several symptoms of the dysfunction of the immune system. These include the following:

• Asthma
• Parasite infections
• Allergies
• Bowel disorders
• Frequent flu, colds, and fever
• Overgrowth of candida
• Painful muscles and joints
• Autoimmune disorders
• Outbreak of cold sore or herpes
• Constantly runny nose or rhinitis
• Abnormal PAP smears
• HPV
• Rashes
• Hives
• Psoriasis
• Eczema

Final takeaways

In public healthcare, immunology has a great role to play. This is because it is used for analysis and studying the functions as well as the structure of the immune system. It includes various techniques such as immune cell isolation, ELISPOT, ELISA, antibody generation, purification of existing antibodies, and more. Researchers such as Kanury Rao are constantly working on this aspect and trying hard to come out with something that can benefit humans to a great extent.