Editing Humoral immunity (section)

{{Short description|Aspect of immunity}}
{{cs1 config|name-list-style=vanc|display-authors=6}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|Humoral|humeral}}
'''Humoral immunity''' is the aspect of [[immunity (medical)|immunity]] that is mediated by [[macromolecules]] – including secreted [[antibodies]], [[complement protein]]s, and certain [[antimicrobial peptide]]s – located in [[extracellular fluid]]s. Humoral immunity is named so because it involves substances found in the [[humorism|humors]], or [[body fluid]]s. It contrasts with [[cell-mediated immunity]]. Humoral immunity is also referred to as '''antibody-mediated immunity'''.

The study of the [[molecular]] and [[cellular immunity|cellular components]] that form the [[immune system]], including their function and interaction, is the central science of [[immunology]]. The immune system is divided into a more primitive [[innate immune system]] and an acquired or [[adaptive immune system]] of [[vertebrate]]s, each of which contain both humoral and [[cell (biology)|cellular]] immune elements.

<!-- Humoral immunity (referring to immunity mediated by secreted antibodies and other molecules) is often mediated by Th1 activation. It is not clear why humoral immunity is regularly associated with referring to Th2. -->Humoral immunity refers to antibody production and the coinciding processes that accompany it, including: [[Th2]] activation and [[cytokine]] production, [[germinal center]] formation and [[Isotype (immunology)|isotype]] switching, and [[affinity maturation]] and [[memory B cell|memory cell]] generation. It also refers to the [[effector (biology)|effector]] functions of antibodies, which include [[pathogen]] and [[toxin]] neutralization, classical [[complement system|complement]] activation, and [[opsonin]] promotion of [[phagocytosis]] and pathogen elimination.<ref name=Janeway5>{{cite book | author = Janeway Jr CA | author-link = Charles Janeway | title = Immunobiology. | edition = 5th | publisher = Garland Publishing | year = 2001 | url = https://archive.org/details/immunobiology00char | isbn = 0-8153-3642-X | url-access = registration }}</ref>