Definition for:acquired immunity

acquired immunity

Chapter: 4
Acquired immunity is that produced by the specific response of the immune system to foreign antigens. Usually, an antigen is proteinaceous, but an immune response can be mounted to other substances, such as RNA, DNA, and poly-saccharides. Acquired immunity is built up within the host after natural infection or immunization.

See Also:

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (Chapter 4)
Acquired melanocytic nevus (Chapter 24)