Flashcard 15 - Physiological Adaptation Flashcard Set for the NCLEX-RN Exam

innate and adaptive

The innate immune response is the natural, intrinsic, and non-specific response of the immune system to any foreign or potentially infectious substance or pathogen. It is the body’s first line of defense. Adaptive immunity involves the production of pathogen specific antibodies or T cells that can occur either through intentional exposure to a specific pathogen (i.e., immunization) or through the illness process.