Editing Clonal anergy (section)

{{short description|Lack of response by the immune system to foreign substances}}
{{redirect|Anergy|the use of the term in thermodynamics|Exergy}}

In [[immunology]], '''anergy''' characterizes the absence of a response from the body's [[Immune system|defense mechanisms]] when confronted with [[Pathogen|foreign substances]]. This phenomenon involves the direct induction of [[Peripheral tolerance|peripheral lymphocyte tolerance]]. When an individual is in a state of anergy, it signifies that their immune system is incapable of mounting a typical response against a specific [[antigen]], typically a self-antigen. The term anergy specifically refers to [[lymphocyte]]s that exhibit an inability to react to their designated antigen. Notably, anergy constitutes one of the essential processes fostering [[Immune tolerance|tolerance]] within the immune system, alongside [[clonal deletion]] and [[immunoregulation]].<ref name="Schwartz">{{cite journal |vauthors=Schwartz RH |date=August 1993 |title=T cell anergy |journal=Scientific American |volume=269 |issue=2 |pages=61–71 |doi=10.1038/scientificamerican0893-62 |pmid=8351512}}</ref> These processes collectively act to modify the immune response, preventing the inadvertent self-destruction that could result from an overactive immune system.