
A Compendium of Artifi cial Immune SystemsA Compendium of Artifi cial Immune Systems 207
9.6 Immune Networks
With the aim to explain some properties of the biological immune systems,
in 1974 the immune networks were proposed (Jerne 1974). In this theory,
the IS is able to achieve immunological memory by means of a network of
B-cells, which are constantly reinforcing themselves. The network functions
by stimulating B-cells with binding matching between molecular portions
of the antibody , called paratopes and idiotopes, located on the same cells.
The stimulation is similar to what would happen if a pathogen is present
in the body and its antigens ...