Basic immunology

Immunology measures the physiological functioning of the immune system in both states of health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders (such as autoimmune diseases hypersensitivities immune deficiency and transplant rejection); the physical chemical and physiological characteristics of the components of the immune system in vitro in situ and in vivo. Immunology has applications in numerous disciplines of medicine particularly in the fields of organ transplantation oncology virology bacteriology parasitology psychiatry and dermatology. The important lymphoid organs of the immune system are the thymus and bone marrow and chief lymphatic tissues such as spleen tonsils lymph vessels lymph nodes adenoids and liver. When health conditions worsen to emergency status portions of immune system organs including the thymus spleen bone marrow lymph nodes and other lymphatic tissues can be surgically excised for examination while patients are still alive. Many components of the immune system are typically cellular in nature and not associated with any specific organ.