immunen
Immunen is a term used in speculative discussions of immunology to denote the collective network of immune system components and interactions within an organism. The word is constructed from immune and the suffix -en to convey a system or ensemble, rather than a single molecule or cell. In this usage, immunen encompasses innate and adaptive elements—barriers, phagocytes, dendritic cells, T and B lymphocytes, antibodies, cytokines, and the regulatory circuits that connect them—and emphasizes their dynamic interactions rather than individual actors.
Conceptually, the immunen framework treats the immune response as a network whose state is shaped by antigen
Applications of an immunen perspective include systems immunology modeling, vaccine design, and immunotherapy development, where understanding
Criticism notes that immunen lacks formal definition or standardized measurement, making it more a heuristic than
See also: immune system, immunome, immune network theory, systems immunology, vaccinology.