Final answer:
The ability to tolerate self-antigens must occur during the development of immunocompetence for the immune system to function normally. Immune tolerance is the acquired ability to prevent unnecessary or harmful immune responses to self-antigens or harmless foreign substances. Specialized antigen-presenting cells present harmless antigens to regulatory T cells, which suppress inflammation and prevent activation of the immune system in undesired tissue compartments.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the development of immunocompetence, the ability to tolerate self-antigens must also occur if the immune system is to function normally. Immune tolerance is the acquired ability to prevent an unnecessary or harmful immune response to self-antigens or detected foreign substances that do not cause disease. This tolerance is crucial for maintaining mucosal homeostasis and is brought about by specialized antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that present harmless antigens to regulatory T (Treg) cells. These Treg cells suppress local inflammation and inhibit the secretion of stimulatory immune factors, preventing immunologic activation and inflammation in undesired tissue compartments.