When a country is threatened by its enemies, its government responds with a declaration of war, and the country mobilizes and prepares for battle. Similarly, when the body is under attack from foreign bodies and pathogens, the immune system mobilizes to protect organisms from infection with layered defenses.
The human immune system is an intricate and complex system that is constantly working to protect our bodies from harm. Its defenses are organized into three layers:
- the physical barrier,
- the innate immune system, and
- the adaptive immune system.
The physical barrier prevents pathogens such as bacteria and viruses from entering the body. If this barrier is breached, the innate immune system responds. This system is found in all plants and animals defending the host in a non-specific matter, meaning it doesn’t offer long-lasting immunity to the host. In addition, it does not have immunological memory.
The final layer of protection is the adaptive immune system, which is only found in vertebrates. The adaptive system does just that—adapts its response during an infection to improve its recognition of a pathogen, i.e., bacteria and viruses. The body uses y-shaped antibodies, produced by white blood cells, to identify and neutralize foreign substances, as known as antigens. Antigens trigger a reaction from the immune system and are often found on the surfaces of bacteria and viruses. After the pathogen has been eliminated, the antibodies stay in the body as an immunological memory. This helps the adaptive immune system launch a stronger attack each time the pathogen is met. Antibodies can be transferred from one individual to another, often from a mother to the fetus through the placenta. This is known as passive immunity and is a short-term transfer.
Many different types of immune cells travel through the body identifying pathogens. White blood cells, leukocytes, defend the body against antigens. There are two major types of leukocytes: lymphocytes and phagocytes. Lymphocytes are found in the adaptive immune system where immunological memory takes place and allows the body to recognize previous invaders. The two major types of lymphocytes are T cells and B cells. They start out in the bone marrow and either stay and mature (B cells), or depart for maturation in the thymus gland (T cells). B cells search for antigens and send antibodies to lock on to them; T cells destroy the antigens that the B cells identified. There are two types of T cells: helper T cells and killer T cells. Killer T cells destroy the antigens tagged by antibodies. Helper T cells help signal other cells (like phagocytes) to perform their job.
Phagocytes are biological cells that ingest and destroy foreign matter, bacteria, etc. There are three main categories of phagocytes: macrophages, microphages (mainly neutrophils, which fight bacteria) and dendritic cells. Each type of cell targets a specific type of foreign body such as parasites, bacteria or fungi. Neutrophils are the main cell found in pus, eosinophils mainly deal with parasite infections and are the predominant cell in allergic reactions, and basophils are present during an allergic reaction causing inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s protective attempt, triggered by dying cells, to remove the foreign bodies and start the healing process for the tissue; it is not a symptom of infection.
Immune disorders occur when the body’s immune system is deficient and cannot perform at its potential. Immunodeficiency is when one or more of the components of the immune system are inactive and it is unable to launch a normal immune response. Autoimmunity occurs when the immune system fails to properly distinguish between itself and non-self; basically, the body is attacked by its own immune system. Lastly, hypersensitivity is an immune response that damages the body’s own tissues.
Fortunately, the body doesn’t have to fight these battles on its own. Natural supplements have been proven to help boost the body’s immune system and strengthen its defenses.
The final layer of protection is the adaptive immune system, which is only found in vertebrates. The adaptive system does just that—adapts its response during an infection to improve its recognition of a pathogen, i.e., bacteria and viruses. The body uses y-shaped antibodies, produced by white blood cells, to identify and neutralize foreign substances, as known as antigens. Antigens trigger a reaction from the immune system and are often found on the surfaces of bacteria and viruses. After the pathogen has been eliminated, the antibodies stay in the body as an immunological memory. This helps the adaptive immune system launch a stronger attack each time the pathogen is met. Antibodies can be transferred from one individual to another, often from a mother to the fetus through the placenta. This is known as passive immunity and is a short-term transfer.
Many different types of immune cells travel through the body identifying pathogens. White blood cells, leukocytes, defend the body against antigens. There are two major types of leukocytes: lymphocytes and phagocytes. Lymphocytes are found in the adaptive immune system where immunological memory takes place and allows the body to recognize previous invaders. The two major types of lymphocytes are T cells and B cells. They start out in the bone marrow and either stay and mature (B cells), or depart for maturation in the thymus gland (T cells). B cells search for antigens and send antibodies to lock on to them; T cells destroy the antigens that the B cells identified. There are two types of T cells: helper T cells and killer T cells. Killer T cells destroy the antigens tagged by antibodies. Helper T cells help signal other cells (like phagocytes) to perform their job.
Phagocytes are biological cells that ingest and destroy foreign matter, bacteria, etc. There are three main categories of phagocytes: macrophages, microphages (mainly neutrophils, which fight bacteria) and dendritic cells. Each type of cell targets a specific type of foreign body such as parasites, bacteria or fungi. Neutrophils are the main cell found in pus, eosinophils mainly deal with parasite infections and are the predominant cell in allergic reactions, and basophils are present during an allergic reaction causing inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s protective attempt, triggered by dying cells, to remove the foreign bodies and start the healing process for the tissue; it is not a symptom of infection.
Immune disorders occur when the body’s immune system is deficient and cannot perform at its potential. Immunodeficiency is when one or more of the components of the immune system are inactive and it is unable to launch a normal immune response. Autoimmunity occurs when the immune system fails to properly distinguish between itself and non-self; basically, the body is attacked by its own immune system. Lastly, hypersensitivity is an immune response that damages the body’s own tissues.
Fortunately, the body doesn’t have to fight these battles on its own. Natural supplements have been proven to help boost the body’s immune system and strengthen its defenses.
Originally Published By: Alissa Marrapodi on http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com
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