Difference Between Natural and Artificial Immune System


Both "natural immune system" and "artificial immune system" sound like they should refer to different elements of the same system, if not exact opposites. While there is some connection between the two, this is not the case. The concepts and operations of natural immune systems, as well as hypotheses about how the immune system functions, have been used to create artificial immune systems, which are computer systems. Several AIs have been created to help immunologists in their study of natural immune systems, and these systems have a wide range of applications in computer engineering.

Both concepts share some common ground, but they also have significant differences. To begin, the word "system" has a different meaning in each of these contexts. It's not the same thing, and it's not even related. In the following paragraphs, we'll dive deeper into defining and distinguishing between these two concepts.

What is Natural Immune System?

The natural immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that are present in the human body from birth. It is composed of white blood cells, antibodies, complement proteins, and other immune cells that work together to identify and eliminate foreign invaders.

The natural immune system is highly adaptable and can respond to a wide range of pathogens. It is able to identify and remember a pathogen after an initial exposure, so that it can mount a faster and more effective response in the future. This process is known as immunological memory and is a hallmark of the natural immune system.

What is Artificial Immune System?

The artificial immune system, on the other hand, is a man-made system that mimics the natural immune system. It is designed to detect and respond to abnormal patterns of data or behavior in a computer system.

Artificial immune systems use algorithms and mathematical models to identify and respond to threats in a similar way to the natural immune system. Artificial immune systems can be applied to a wide range of applications, including computer security, medical diagnosis, and fraud detection.

Differences: Natural and Artificial Immune Systems

One of the key differences between the natural and artificial immune system is the type of response they generate. The natural immune system generates a biological response, such as the production of antibodies, to eliminate the invading pathogen. The artificial immune system, on the other hand, generates a computational response, such as a notification of a security breach, to eliminate the threat.

Another difference between the two is the level of adaptability. The natural immune system is highly adaptable and can respond to a wide range of pathogens. It is able to learn and evolve over time, adapting to new pathogens and improving its ability to respond. Artificial immune systems, on the other hand, are limited by the algorithms and mathematical models used to design them. They may be able to detect new threats, but they are not able to adapt to them in the same way as the natural immune system.

The following table highlights the major differences between Natural and Artificial Immune Systems −

Characteristics

Natural Immune System

Artificial Immune System

Definition

A natural immune system is a network of structures and processes within a biological organism whose main function is to protect against invading objects from its environment or against harmful bodies within itself.

An artificial immune system is a computing system based off of principles, processes and theories of natural immune systems.

Alternative definition

Natural immune system may also refer to the innate immune system which is the first subsystem of the immune system in vertebrate animals.

Artificial Immune Systems may also refer to the research field linking immunology and computer software engineering.

Main function

The main function of a natural immune system is protection against disease.

The main function of an artificial immune system is computational problem solving.

Field of study

Natural immune systems are studied in immunology, under the broader field of biology.

Meanwhile artificial immune systems are in the field of Artificial Immune Systems (AIS), under the overarching field of artificial intelligence.

Kind of system

A natural immune system is a biological system made up of structures and processes working together. It is structural and organizational system.

An artificial immune system is a computing system, made up of a set rules and principles. It is a procedural and methodological system.

Significant aspect of the immune system

Natural immune systems are complex, evolutionary and adaptive systems.

Artificial immune systems are highly parallel intelligent systems.

Significant capability of the immune system

Natural immune systems emphasize the capability of recognition of all objects within the body and categorizing them as self or non self.

Artificial immune systems emphasize the capability of learning, memory, associative retrieval and simultaneous task execution.

Conclusion

The natural and artificial immune system are different in several ways. The natural immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that are present in the human body from birth, while the artificial immune system is a man-made system that mimics the natural immune system.

The natural immune system generates a biological response, while the artificial immune system generates a computational response. Finally, the natural immune system is highly adaptable, while the artificial immune system is limited by the algorithms and mathematical models used to design it.

Updated on: 26-Apr-2023

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