Ocular immune privilege: a review

Abstract

The definition of the term ‘immune privilege’ has evolved over the last century. Current usage refers to a state within a particular organ or tissue in which elements of normal immunity are absent. The fact that this deficiency is thought to be generally beneficial has compelled others to go a step further and venture that immune privilege acts to minimize expression of immunopathology. The purpose of this article is to review which parts of the eye hold immune privileged status, what mechanisms contribute to it, and what clinical benefits may have driven the development of these unique immune environments. The article ends with an examination of recent studies which have sought to use components of ocular immune privilege to prevent systemic autoimmune disease.