March 9, 2003 Genetics and Universe Within The immune system is greatly affected by genetics and hereditary traits. The immune system is the body's defense against pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses. The immune system is a two-part defense mechanism, with specific and non - specific defenses. Non specific defenses are defenses that function against all forms of invaders. Our skin, phagocytes and macrophages, as well as white blood cells, are all non - specific defenses. They …showed first 75 words of 626 total…

…showed last 75 words of 626 total…of Eastern European descent, because it is a side effect of their resistance to certain strains of virus common in Eastern Europe. Sickly cell anemia, very common in people of African descent, is a side effect of a resistance to malaria. In these cases, hereditary genetics passes on a resistance but at the same time a disorder. It is in these examples that we can clearly see the role of genetics in the immune system.