Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Brain
Microglial cell
Dendritic cell
Macrophage
Lymphatics and
lymph nodes
•ymus
T lymphocyte
T lymphocyte
B lymphocyte
Lung
Bone marrow
Alveolar macrophage
Stem cell
Liver
Spleen
Kupffer cell
Natural killer cell
Monocyte
Blood
Skin
Macrophage
T lymphocyte
B lymphocyte
Neutrophil Eosinophil
Basophil
Natural killer cell
Dendritic cell or
Langerhans cell
Monocyte
B lymphocyte
T lymphocyte
FIGURE 20.2
Various parts of the immune system and the presence of its cellular components in organs.
(From Elsabahy M, Wooley KL.
Chemical Society Reviews.
2013. With permission.)
also called antibody generators. Immunology rests on an understanding of the properties of these two
biological entities. Cellular response, which can not only kill infected cells in its own right, is also
crucial in controlling the antibody response. Put simply, both systems are highly interdependent [4].
Immunotoxicity can be defined as any adverse effect on the immune system that can result from
exposure to foreign matter (Figure 20.3). To determine the effects of any foreign agent on the immune
system of the human body, in general, five adverse event categories are studied. (1) Immunosuppression
refers to impairment of any component of the immune system resulting in a decreased immune func-
tion. (2) Immunogenicity is an immune reaction evoked by a specific agent termed as a stressor and/
or its metabolites, possibly resulting in an allergic response due to multiple exposure to the stressor.
(3) Hypersensitivity is the immunological sensitization by a specific stressor and/or its metabolites,
resulting in a strong adverse response. (4) Autoimmunity refers to a pathological process whereby
the immune system responds to self-antigens. (5) Adverse immunostimulation refers to any antigen-
nonspecific, inappropriate, or uncontrolled activation of some component of the immune system [4].
20.3 CARBON NANOPARTICLE AND ITS ROUTES OF ENTRY WITHIN
THE BODY
CNTs are made up of carbon atoms arranged in a series of condensed benzene rings, wrapped in
a tubular form. They represent a new allotropic form of carbon fabricated from the fullerene fam-
ily that can be represented as rolled-up graphite sheets held together by van der Waal's force. The
