Module 6: Immunity

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By now, you've learned that the body has several lines of defense to protect itself from harm—barriers like skin, circulating white blood cells, and even responses like inflammation. In this module, we’ll dive deeper into the immune system, the highly coordinated network responsible for identifying and neutralizing threats such as bacteria, viruses, and even malfunctioning cells. You may already be familiar with some of its components from previous discussions on blood or the lymphatic system. Here, we’ll bring those elements together to explore how the body recognizes “self” from “non-self” and mounts a targeted response.

We’ll look closely at the two main arms of immunity—innate and adaptive—and explore how cells like macrophages, T cells, and B cells communicate and collaborate. You’ll also begin to understand how vaccines work, what causes allergies and autoimmune diseases, and why immune function is crucial in everything from wound healing to cancer treatment. Whether your future involves clinical care, laboratory work, athletic training, or patient education, a strong understanding of the immune system will equip you to make sense of both routine health and critical illness. This system is central to the body’s ability to survive—and now, it’s your turn to learn how and why.

1. Read the Module 6 Introduction 
2. Read Chapter 6 in Textbook
   
3. Complete the activities below. 

Module Pressbooks Resources and Activities

You will find the following resources and activities in this module at the Pressbooks website. Click on the links below to access or complete each item.