Autoimmune diseases (AI)

About

When the immune system functions normally, it produces a response intended to protect against harmful or foreign substances like bacteria, parasites, and cancerous cells. The response may include specific immune cells and/or antibodies. Autoimmune diseases arise when the immune system produces a response against one or more of the body’s normal constituents as if they are harmful. When the immune system fails to distinguish between “self” and “non-self”, it may produce immune cells or antibodies (called autoantibodies) that target its own cells, tissues, and/or organs. Those attacks cause inflammation and tissue damage that lead to autoimmune disorders.