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Module 2.3 · Topic 8
Module 2.3 · Topic 8
When the immune system's own weapons cause the damage
A bee sting triggers anaphylaxis within minutes. Poison ivy triggers a rash after a day or two. Both get called "allergic" reactions in casual conversation, and both are genuinely the immune system overreacting — but they're running on completely different machinery, which is exactly why the timing is so different.
One reaction develops within minutes of exposure; another takes 1–3 days to appear. What does that timing difference most likely tell you about the underlying mechanism?
A reaction appearing within minutes of exposure, driven by IgE bound to mast cells, is classified as:
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