Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) refers to a group of genes that play a crucial role in the immune system. These genes encode proteins found on the surface of most cells in the body, which are responsible for regulating the immune system's ability to recognize and differentiate between self and non-self entities. HLA proteins are vital for the immune system to detect pathogens and initiate an immune response. They are highly polymorphic, meaning there are many different alleles within the population, contributing to individual variability in immune responses.
