Arising in the mucous membranes, these white patches on the tongue, gums, cheeks, or elsewhere inside the mouth have the potential to develop into squamous cell carcinoma. They may be caused by sources of chronic irritation, such as habitual alcohol consumption or tobacco use, or rough edges on teeth or dentures.
Virus infection in vertebrates results in two general types of immune response. The first is a rapid-onset innate response against the virus, which involves the synthesis of proteins called interferons and the stimulation of natural killer lymphocytes.
Both the function and efficiency of the innate immune system do not change with repeated exposure to foreign pathogens. Browse Abcam's products to study innate immunity. The adaptive immune system. The adaptive immune system is activated when the innate system fails to clear pathogens from the body. It consists of a variety of cells and molecules, among which lymphocytes and antibodies are the key elements. Lymphocytes arise continuously from progenitor cells in the bone marrow.