self

self (slf)

n. pl. selves (slz)

1. The total, essential, or particular being of a person; the individual.

2. One's consciousness of one's own being or identity; the ego.

3. That which the immune system identifies as belonging to the body.

---

self

pl. selves [selvz]

Etymology: AS

1 the total essence or being of a person; the individual.

2 those affective, cognitive, and spiritual qualities that distinguish one person from another; individuality.

3 a person's awareness of his or her own being or identity; consciousness; ego. See also personality.

---

self [self]

1. a term used to denote an animal's own antigenic constituents, in contrast to “nonself” (which denotes foreign antigenic constituents). The self constituents are metabolized without antibody formation, whereas the antigens that are nonself are eliminated through the immune response mechanism. It has been postulated that there is a mechanism of “self recognition” that enables the organism to distinguish between self and nonself. See also immunity.

2. the complete being of an individual, comprising both physical and psychological characteristics, and including both conscious and unconscious components. The concept of self is central to the jungian personality theory. See also Jung.

therapeutic use of self the ability to use theory, experiential knowledge, and self-awareness, and to explore one's impact on others.

---

self

a term used to denote an animal's own antigenic constituents, in contrast to 'not-self', denoting foreign antigenic constituents. The 'self' constituents do not normally elicit an immune response, i.e. there is self-tolerance, whereas the antigens which are 'not-self' do elicit an immune response. Self reactive lymphocytes, particularly T lymphocytes within the thymus, are eliminated. The breakdown of self-tolerance by a number of mechanisms is the basis for autoimmune diseases. See also immunity.