Autoimmunity
Say: aw-toh-ih-myoo-nih-tee
Your immune system fights infections and illnesses. It prevents you from getting
sick, or, if you do, it helps you get better. It's called the immune system because
it's not just one body part. It's a system of different organs, cells, and proteins
known as antibodies. Together, they identify, attack, and destroy germs and other
foreign substances.
But sometimes the immune system makes a mistake and attacks part of the body. This
is called autoimmunity. One example of an autoimmune disease is type
1 diabetes, in which the immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that
produce insulin.
