Resumo

ZALDIVAR OCHOA, Miriam. El sistema inmunológico de las mucosas. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2002, vol.18, n.5, pp.352-354. ISSN 0864-2125.

The immunological system is very important because it protects the organism from pathogenic microbial agents, toxins, foreign particles, tumoral cells and autoimmune processes. To maintain the biological balance, this system should work normally, acting as a strong defensive barrier against the invasion of harmful agents. Otherwise, there will be an immunodeficiency of variable clinical expression. The essence of the function of the immune system is its great capacity for distinguishing its own from the strange at the molecular level, that is, to recognize a difference between what belongs or not to the organism, keeping this way its individuality.

Palavras-chave : IMMUNITY, MUCOSAL; ANTIBODY-PRODUCING CELLS; IMMUNOGLOBULINS.