ABSTRACT
The human immune system comprises an array of cells that function in a highly orchestrated manner toward the defense of the “self” from myriad pathogenic entities, which are matched by an extensive heterogeneity of immune cells. Nascent configurations of the sentinel platform are envisioned to operate in collaboration with the intrinsic human immune system, to provide a supportive role as an ultrasensitive “first responder” network to rapidly immobilize and molecularly tag any form of invasive entity for degradative processing. Significant benefits provided by sentinels may include the strong potential to relegate the existing vaccination paradigm to obsolescence. Sentinel class nanomedical devices would be mass-uploaded with a complete set of comprehensive data to facilitate the identification of all known pathogens, chemicals, and toxins that pose threats, or potential threats, to human health. A potential disadvantage for the integration of the sentinel platform would center on the overall security of the system and its individual constituents.
