A client who has a diagnosis of an autoimmune disease asks his nurse why it is that his immune system does not attack all of the cells that make up his body. Which of the following aspects of pathogen recognition in the innate immune system listed below would underlie the nurse's response?
A) Normal host cells excrete inhibitory proteins that are detected by natural killer cells.
B) Intraepithelial lymphocytes and matural killer cells possess specific, highly diverse receptors.
C) Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) ensure that cells are correctly identified.
D) Leukocytes possess pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

PRRs recognize the structure of invaders and thus prevent activation by healthy somatic cells, though neither intraepithelial lymphocytes nor natural killer cells possess the high level of specification and diversity of receptors associated with the adaptive immune system. Host cells do not excrete inhibitory proteins, and PAMPs exist on pathogens, not on leukocytes.

A Client Who Has a Diagnosis of an Autoimmune Disease