Plants have developed many mechanisms to recognize the presence of pathogens and to respond to their attack. Mentioned recognition mechanisms consist of the identification of microbial or related pathogenic molecular patterns (PAMPs or MAMPs), and of the recognition of specific effector molecules. In the first part of the recognition surface PRR receptors are included, which activate a defense response of plants called immunity driven by PAMP (PAMP-triggered immunity i.e. PTI), and in the second part are included intracellular NB-LRR receptors, which activate a defense response called immunity driven by effector (effector-triggered immunity i.e. ETI). This paper describes the organization of the plant response to pathogen attack, focusing on genetic and molecular level of response, mentioning the zig-zag model of plant defense response as a synthesis of current knowledge. Briefly is described the understanding of the regulation of the expression of genes encoding for the defense receptor molecules. It states the importance of knowledge of the plant defense response to the development of new strategies for the control of plant diseases and is given guidance for future research. Finally, the defensive response of plants is compared with the immune system in animals, and because the plant receptor molecules actually recognize modifications that the pathogenic molecules perform at the target sites of the host, which greatly resembles the distinction between self and changed self, and is the basis of immune recognition, it is concluded that it is justified for the defense response of plants to be called immune response.