Role of asymmetry in the immune network.

Conditions under which asymmetry (unidirectional pathway) in transmitting activation in the immune network exists are analyzed. Asymmetry results from a certain structural organization of the variable domain of each receptor and antibody; the differences between receptor populations inside the family of receptors belonging to the same network level. The analysis allows us to postulate that in evolution, the affinity of the receptors could have been a factor ensuring limitation of activation in the immune network. This approach makes it possible to explain the occurrence of different immunological phenomena, including induction of the non-specific component involved in the immune response to antigen or in the anti-idiotypic effects; to make some suggestions concerning the anti-idiotypic stimulation of the lymphocytes of only a certain immune network level (including lymphoid cells of the first level that react to epitopes of foreign antigens).