006 - Tissue Specific vs. Systemic Autoimmunity

Autoimmunity can be classified as either Tissue-Specific or Systemic, and it makes a big difference!

Tissue-Specific (or protein or enzyme-specific) means that autoimmunity is attacking a specific protein or enzyme that is expressed in a certain tissue - For example enzymes expressed in the thyroid, proteins in your brain, the digestive lining, or in connective tissue - that is TISSUE-SPECIFIC. If this process continues, it will damage THAT TISSUE - your thyroid, your brain, your stomach, your gut. 

Systemic autoimmunity means that the attack isn't concentrated in one tissue, but rather could be attacking your whole body, or SYSTEMIC. The best example is Lupus, which is diagnosed partially by detecting Anti-Nuclear Antibodies. Every cell in your body has a nucleus, you don't want your immune system attacking it!

In this episode I go through examples of each type of autoimmunity and antibodies that can be measured for each. There is a lot to this episode, but it's really important to know when addressing your own autoimmune case!