Melvold Roger W, Sticca Robert P
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58202-9037, USA.
Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2007 Oct;16(4):711-35, vii. doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2007.08.003.
The immune system is one of the most important means by which more complex animals protect themselves from external threats. There are two immune systems: the innate and the adaptive. The innate is the most basic and has existed for the longest time; the adaptive immune system is a more recent evolutionary development. The immune system plays a critical role in surveillance and prevention of malignancy. It is only when malignant cells develop mechanisms to escape the immune system that they become clinically significant tumors. Our knowledge of the immune system has grown enormously. We have begun to understand not only the mechanisms by which it protects us but also the ways in which it can inflict injury on the body. We are also learning about how it communicates with the environment and how its various components interact within the body. With this information, we are learning how to manipulate it to our greater benefit.
免疫系统是更复杂的动物用以保护自身免受外部威胁的最重要手段之一。有两种免疫系统：先天性免疫系统和适应性免疫系统。先天性免疫系统是最基本且存在时间最长的；适应性免疫系统是较新的进化发展产物。免疫系统在监测和预防恶性肿瘤方面发挥着关键作用。只有当恶性细胞形成逃避免疫系统的机制时，它们才会成为具有临床意义的肿瘤。我们对免疫系统的了解有了巨大的增长。我们不仅开始了解它保护我们的机制，还了解它可能对身体造成伤害的方式。我们也在了解它如何与环境交流以及其各个组成部分在体内如何相互作用。有了这些信息，我们正在学习如何对其进行操控以获得更大的益处。
