Modelos de reconocimiento inmunológico: tolerancia e inmunidad en el marco de la evolución del conocimiento científico

The immune system (IS) is an exquisite machine involved in the maintenance of the integrity of the organism, and in the regulation of its own function to adapt its diverse strategies of molecular recognition within a dynamical framework. These strategies are modulated by the nature of the antigenic stimulus, the internal status of its components, and the local microenvironment, which will determine an immune response of immunity or tolerance. Throughout the history of Immunology, the archetypical «self/non-self» axiom of the immune recognition, in direct reference to the identity of the individual, has been consistently used, which should be nevertheless displaced by its numerous exceptions. We present a review of the theoretical models of the IS functioning from its basic property of antigenic recognition. We discuss the need to develop new models that enable to comprehend the IS functioning as an indissoluble integrated system with psychoneurological and endocrine systems.