Response to Invasion by Antigen and Effects of Threshold in an Immune Network Dynamical System Model with a Small Number of Degrees of Freedom

Abstract

We study a dynamical system model of an idiotypic immune network with a small number of degrees of freedom, mainly focusing on the effect of a threshold above which antibodies can recognise antibodies. The response of the system to invasions by antigens is investigated in the both models with and without the threshold and it turns out that the system changes in a desirable direction for moderate magnitude of perturbation. direction for moderate magnitude of perturbation. Also, the propagation of disturbance by an antigen is investigated in the system of one-dimensionally connected basic units taking the closed 3-clone system as a unit, and it is clarified that the threshold of the system has effects to enhance the stability of the network and to localise the immune response.