Question

What is the fundamental characteristic that defines the loss of immune tolerance in autoimmunity?

Options

• The body develops resistance to foreign pathogens

• The body loses the ability to distinguish between self and non-self cells

• The body produces excessive amounts of protective antibodies

• The body eliminates all types of immune cells

Answer 1

The fundamental characteristic of autoimmunity is that the body loses the ability to distinguish between self and non-self cells. This loss of immune tolerance is the underlying mechanism that allows the immune system to mistake the body's own cells and tissues for foreign agents and subsequently attack them.