What molecular signatures define the self/non-self distinction managed by the immune system?
Answer
Antigens
Antigens are the molecular signatures found on the surface of cells that the immune system uses to differentiate between the body's own components (self-antigens) and foreign material (non-self antigens).

#Videos
Immune system physiology | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy - YouTube
Related Questions
What molecular signatures define the self/non-self distinction managed by the immune system?What structures do innate immune cells possess to immediately spot molecular patterns conserved across broad classes of microbes?What do Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs) recognize as molecular signals indicating an immediate microbial invasion?On which types of cells are MHC Class I molecules primarily found?What process is described by the elimination of developing T cells that bind too strongly to self-peptides presented on self-MHC molecules?What criterion must a developing T cell meet during Positive Selection in the thymus to prove functionality?Which primary lymphoid organ is responsible for the central education and tolerance training of T cells?What peripheral tolerance mechanism renders a self-reactive T cell functionally unresponsive if it encounters its antigen without accompanying danger signals?What term describes the condition resulting when the immune system fails to maintain self/non-self balance and attacks host cells?MHC Class II molecules primarily display peptides derived from what source?