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The Great Protector
by linda mc cloud
Our immune system can be called the Great protector simply because it helps us fight bacteria, and viruses that can lead to diseases and death. But what do you really know about your immune system?
Our immune system is made up of organs, cells and even a circulatory system. Together they all work together to fight infection and to keep us healthy. The immune system organs are called lymphoid organs. In the Greek language lymph means a pure, clear stream. An ideal immune system is one that runs pure and clear.
We all have heard of white blood cells or leukocytes. These are the cells that seek out and destroy the organisms that can cause disease. These cells are throughout our body in such areas as our spleen, and bone marrow. There is also clumps of lymphoid tissue throughout our body. Some of examples of this tissue is our tonsils and appendix. We also have clumps of lymphoid tissue that is called lymph nodes.
The leukocytes circulate through our body in our blood. This is how they travel throughout our body. There are two different types of leukocytes cells. The Phagocytes cell is the one that destroys the invading organisms. Then there is the lymphocytes cells. The lymphocytes are able to remember all the previous invaders and are able to recognize them again and again. The lymphocytes are then broken down into two groups of their own, the B lymphocytes and the T lymphocytes. The B lymphocytes seeks out foreign substances in our bodies and the T lymphocytes fight to destroy these objects. Our bodies need both types of white cells to function properly.
An antigen is a foreign substance that enters our body. Once it is recognized the cells begin working together and respond to it. First, the B lymphocytes try to create an antibody to fight the antigen. An antibody is a specialized protein that will neutralize an antigen. This means that once an antibody has been created for a particular antigen (example would be chicken pox) the body can create it again if necessary.
This is why we don't get the same viruses over and over again. The T lymphocytes than uses the antibody to destroy the antigen (foreign substance).
All of this protection t is called immunity. Humans have three types of immunity: Innate, adaptive and passive. Innate immunity is a natural immunity we all have at birth. Adaptive immunity is an immunity we develop through our lives. Passive immunity is an immunity that is borrowed from another source. Passive immunity can come from breast milk or from vaccinations.
Our immune systems are wonderful protectors. But sometimes things do go wrong in them. When this happens people can develop anything from minor allergies, major allergies to severe problems as immune diseases such as Lupus, Cancer of the immune system and HIV or AIDS.
Problems within the immune system are usually indicated by a simple blood test.
Without our immune system, we could not survive.
