11.3: Immediate Innate Immunity

Immediate innate immunity begins 0-4 hours after exposure to an infectious agent and involves the action of soluble preformed antimicrobial molecules that circulate in the blood, our found in extracellular tissue fluids, and are secreted by epithelial cells. These include: antimicrobial enzymes and peptides, and complement system proteins. These preformed antimicrobial molecules are designed to immediately begin to remove infectious agents as soon as they enter the body. In addition to preformed antimicrobial molecules, the following also play a role in immediate innate immunity: anatomical barriers to infection, mechanical removal of microbes, and bacterial antagonism by the body's normal microbiota

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