If a pathogen expresses surface antigens nearly identical to a healthy cardiac protein, which consequence follows?

💡 Explanation

Autoimmune myocarditis can arise when the immune system attacks the heart muscle, because molecular mimicry occurs when pathogen antigens resemble self-antigens. This leads to T cells attacking cardiac tissue rather than remaining tolerant; therefore, myocarditis develops, rather than immune tolerance being maintained.

• If a viral infection triggers excessive cytokine production in lung tissue, which consequence most likely follows?
• Why does intense exercise cause muscle fatigue faster in fast-twitch muscle fibers compared to slow-twitch fibers?
• During an epileptic seizure, inhibitory GABAergic neurons are overwhelmed, leading to excessive action potential firing in the brain. Which effect is most likely?
• Why does bacterial overgrowth cause malabsorption in the small intestine?
• Which feedback consequence results during thermoregulation cycles when brown adipose tissue activity unexpectedly ceases?
• Why does the perception of chronic pain intensify even when the initial tissue damage has healed?